Surgical Correction of Congenital Epiblepharon: Lower Eyelid Crease Reforming Technique

ABSTRACT

Epiblepharon is a commonly encountered congenital anomaly in Asian infants and children. It causes symptoms of ocular irritation and inferior punctate corneal epithelial erosion. Surgical correction may be needed if ocular irritation symptom and corneal pathology persist with age. A series of 185 lower eyelid epiblepharon in 98 Korean children underwent lower eyelid crease reforming technique. Surgical treatment included excision of redundant skin and pretarsal orbicularis muscle with lid everting suture by anastomosis of the subcutaneous tissue and inferior tarsal border including capsulopalpebral fascia. With a minimum follow-up of 12 months, a total of 37 [20%]eyelids developed recurrence of cilia touch, and then 9 [4.8%]eye-lids needed further surgery.