HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wouters, R. J. Articles by Lemij, H. G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wouters, R. J. Articles by Lemij, H. G.

Upper Eyelid Motility in Blepharoptosis and in the Aging Eyelid

¹ From the Department of Oculoplastic Surgery, The Rotterdam Eye Hospital; and the ² Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

PURPOSE. To study the metrics of lid saccades in blepharoptosis and to distinguish any differences in the dynamics of eyelid movements that are related to the cause of blepharoptosis and to aging.

METHODS. The lid and vertical eye saccades of 7 patients with congenital blepharoptosis and those of 18 patients with aponeurogenic blepharoptosis, either involutional or rigid-contact-lens–induced, were recorded with electromagnetic search coils. For each saccade, two parameters were assessed: amplitude and peak velocity. Two age-matched control groups were assessed in the same manner. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to investigate any observed differences between the included groups.

RESULTS. Congenital and rigid-contact-lens–induced blepharoptosis were readily distinguishable from one another, as well as from the age-matched control group, in both lid saccadic amplitude and peak velocity. For example, 40° downward lid saccades in the congenital blepharoptosis group averaged 22.9° ± 4.0° (SD), whereas 30.0° ± 4.7° lid saccades were made by the age-matched control group. The subjects in the two groups with aponeurogenic blepharoptosis also made lid saccades that were distinctive for their group (P < 0.02), in both amplitude and peak velocity. For 40° downward saccades in involutional and rigid-contact-lens–induced blepharoptosis, lid saccadic amplitude averaged 32.7° ± 4.3° and 40.3° ± 3.5°, respectively. Lid saccadic peak velocity declined significantly with age. Lid saccadic peak velocity for 40° upward saccades in the younger control group averaged 401.7 ± 11.4 deg/sec, whereas the older control group achieved an average peak velocity of 360.7 ± 60.4 deg/sec. The lid saccadic dynamics in the involutional blepharoptosis group proved to be similar (P > 0.05) in saccadic amplitude and peak velocity to those of age-matched controls.

CONCLUSIONS. In different forms of blepharoptosis, distinctive metrics of lid saccades occur. The current data suggest that involutional blepharoptosis is not a consequence of normal age-related changes in eyelid function.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. F. Falcao, J. M. C. Malbouisson, A. A. V. Cruz, and A. Messias The Relationship between Two Types of Upper Eyelid Movements: Saccades and Pursuit Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., June 1, 2008; 49(6): 2444 - 2448. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]