Paediatric blepharoptosis: a 10-year review

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the characteristics of blepharoptosis and the success of surgical intervention in a large group of children presenting to a specialist at paediatric ophthalmology center.

Methods: Ten-year retrospective case notes review of patients presenting to the Birmingham Children's Hospital for blepharoptosis surgery. Resultant database was interrogated for aetiology of ptosis; severity; surgical correction; outcome; complications and need for reoperation.

Results: One hundred and fifty five children (186 eyes) underwent blepharoptosis surgery. Hundred and ten patients (71%) were treated with a levator resection procedure, 28 (18%) underwent a brow suspension using Mersilene mesh, 15 (10%) with Fasanella Servat procedure and 2 (1%) with La Mange procedure. The mean post-operative follow-up was 30.82 months with 84 children completing a minimum of 12 months follow-up. Overall, 70.97% lids were successfully corrected with a single operation. In 9.14% lids, the results were fair but no further surgery was carried out. Reoperation was required in 19.89% of lids with the mean time to second surgery being 32.69 months. Amblyopia was found in 26.45% (41 children); in 3 patients, their amblyopia became manifest after the ptosis surgery. A concomitant squint was present in 14.19%, and 18.70% had a significant refractive error requiring spectacles prescription, with anisometropia present in more than 72% of these patients.

Conclusions: Early referral to an ophthalmologist is necessary even though surgical correction may be delayed. Children with congenital ptosis need to be monitored for amblyopia both pre- and post-operatively, as the incidence of strabismus and refractive errors is much higher than the general population and these may develop even after ptosis surgery.