Outcomes of levator resection in blepharoptosis patients with grafted corneas.

Objective: To present the surgical results of, and postoperative complications after, resection of the levator aponeurosis as a treatment for aponeurotic blepharoptosis in patients with grafted corneas.

Methods: Nine eyes with grafted corneas displaying aponeurotic blepharoptosis were investigated. Undercorrective resection of levator aponeurosis was performed on all nine patients. The margin reflex distance 1 (MRD1) values prior to the operation and at 7 days and 6 months after the operation were compared. The postoperative MRD1 values of patients with both poor and fair levator function were also evaluated. Differences in visual acuity and visual field before and after surgery were also assessed.

Results: The MRD1 values at 7 days and 6 months after the surgery were higher than before surgery, and there was no difference between the MRD1 values of patients with poor and fair levator function at these time points. Levator function 6 months after surgery improved compared with that before surgery. Neither visual acuity nor the visual field changed after the blepharoptosis surgery. There was no preoperative corneal problem in any patient, and postoperative corneal erosion in some patients resolved with only conservative care.

Conclusions: In blepharoptosis patients with grafted corneas, the undercorrection of blepharoptosis by levator resection showed satisfactory surgical results regardless of levator function status (poor or fair), and did not adversely affect the survival of grafted corneas.