Change in Lower Eyelid Contour Following Ectropion Repair With Lateral Tarsal Strip

Purpose: To evaluate the change in lateral canthal angle (LCA), inferior ocular surface exposed (IOSE), lower eyelid curvature, and margin-to-reflex distance 2 in those undergoing lower eyelid ectropion repair using a lateral tarsal strip technique. Methods: This is an Institutional Review Board-approved retrospective analysis of patients undergoing lower eyelid ectropion repair. This study included all patients from 2012 to 2018 operated on by a single surgeon at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. For each patient, LCA, IOSE, and eyelid curvature were measured on preoperative and postoperative photographs using NIH Image J photographic analysis. These measurements were compared using paired 1-tail t-tests for LCA and IOSE and paired 2-tail t-tests for eyelid curvature. This study was Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant with protection of individually identifiable information. Results: Fifty-one patients with lower eyelid ectropion underwent lower eyelid ectropion repair using a lateral tarsal strip technique. Forty-three of the patients underwent a bilateral lower eyelid ectropion repair. There was no statistically significant difference in the LCA. There was a reduction in IOSE among both cohorts. The fourth degree polynomial trendlines generated to assess eyelid curvature demonstrated statistical significance, suggesting a flattening of eyelid curvature. margin-to-reflex distance 2 also had a statistically significant decrease postoperatively. Conclusions: Lower eyelid ectropion repair using a lateral tarsal strip approach causes a reduction in IOSE, a more gradual lower eyelid curvature, and a decrease in margin-to-reflex distance 2 without causing a statistically significant change in LCA.