Use of Crossed Polarizers to Enhance Images of the Eyelids

Purpose:To describe imaging of the external eye with Crossed Polarizers to enhance clinically important features in digital photographs of the eyelids.Methods:External photographs with and without crossed polarizing filters were taken of patients with blepharitis and controls with no clinical eye pathology.Results:Photographing eyelid skin through Crossed Polarizers decreased reflections on the skin surface and improved visualization of eyelid telangiectasias and blood vessels in patients with a broad range of skin pigmentation and ethnicities.Conclusions:The use of Crossed Polarizers in imaging the external eye reduces reflections and glare from the eyelid skin and margins, thereby allowing for a more detailed evaluation of underlying structures and analysis of images. These findings suggest that including Crossed Polarizers in clinical photography has informative applications for assessing eyelid disease.