Blog Archives
Lagophthalmos is Causing Painful Dry Eyes
Tankie in Victoria, BC asks:
“Problem: I am suffering from painful dry eyes due to Lagophthalmos. My oculoplastic surgeon recommends a gold implant placed in the upper eyelid of each eye.
Symptoms: – Pain in both eyes, right eye hurt me most – Unable to 100% close eyes unless I try hard – Also have droopy right upper eyelid – Unable to wink with right eye, however can wink with left
Treatments: Lubricating ointment & eye drops before bed and 6+ times per day What alternative options exist? Thank you, I need help.”
Lagophthalmos is a not too uncommon medical condition of the upper eyelids. Common causes include post surgical, as well as other neurologic conditions. The eyelids are extremely important to protect the eyes, keep them moist and prevent irritation. With lagophthalmos this protective mechanism is compromised. Treatment options include artificial tears and lubricating ointments. Gold weight implant is an excellent option to help protect the eye by providing greater ability for the eyelid to close. The important thing is to obtain a weight that is correct for your particular eyelid and condition. Often times 1 mg is utilized, but careful measuring can determine whether its more or less of this weight required for satisfactory treatment. Implantation of the gold weight is quite easy. There is a slight bulge to the eyelid that sometimes can be subtly visible and is somewhat of a downside. The good news is that gold weights can be removed quite easily as well.
Additionally, sometimes lagophthalmos is a temporary problem that with time will get better but this depends on the underlying cause of the problem.
