Treatment of dysthyroid lower lid retraction with autogenous tarsus transplants

Abstract

Lower lid retraction is commonly seen in dysthyroid orbitopathy. We have treated 55 lower lids in 38 patients with lower lid retraction by a tarsal transplant from the upper lid to the lower lid. An overall effect of 2-mm improvement +/- 0.7 mm occurred. Eighty-nine percent of the lids achieved the position of the lower lid within 1 mm of the limbus. We think that the upper to lower tarsal transplant offers a technically easy and reasonable solution to moderate lower lid retraction associated with dysthyroid orbitopathy.