The Effects Of Blepharoplasty Surgery On Tear Film And Corneal Topography

To evaluate the effect of upper eyelid surgery on ocular surface and corneal topography

Patients who underwent upper eyelid blepharoplasty repair were evaluated prospectively. Tear film break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer tests, corneal staining pattern, Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire, corneal topography, and autorefractor parameters were measured preoperatively and at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively.

This study included 60 eyes of 30 patients who underwent surgery for dermatochalasis All patients in the study provided informed consent and ethical approval was obtained from the ethics committee. The patients underwent a full ophthalmologic examination. Patients were evaluated using Schirmer tests, tear film break-up time (TBUT), corneal staining pattern according to the Oxford scale, and the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire. Autorefractometry and corneal topography (Oculus Pentacam ) measurements were obtained to measure the patients refractive changes.The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the surgery performed: upper eyelid blepharoplasty (group 1), upper eyelid blepharoplasty and fat extraction (group 2)

Sixty eyes of 30 patients (11 male, 19 female) were included in the study. The mean age was 44.8±18.9 years . Patients were divided into the following 2 groups according to the type of surgery performed: upper eyelid blepharoplasty (group 1), upper eyelid blepharoplasty with fat pad extraction (group 2). There was a significant decrease in Schirmer test results at 6 months in groups 1 and 2 . TBUT values were  returned to baseline at 1 month. Corneal punctate staining was similar in groups. On corneal topography, there is no a significant change in K values  at 3  months and 6 months (p=0.006). There was no statistically significant change in autorefractor measurements postoperatively compared to preoperative values (p>0.05).

Depending on the type of surgical procedure performed upper eyelid blepharoplasty can lead to dry eye of varying severity that may persist at postoperative 6 months.