Evaluation of the efficacy of upper eyelid gold implant surgery in the treatment of lagophthalmos Original research study

Abstract

Material and method: The study included 12 eyes of 12 patients, comprising 5 men and 7 women, with an average age of 55 years. Surgeries were performed on 6 right upper eyelids and 6 left upper eyelids affected by lagophthalmos due to various causes. The average duration of symptoms before surgery was 3 years and 6 months. Patients were eligible for surgery at least 6 months after the onset of paralysis. During the qualification examination, the weight of the implant was estimated using steel trial weights attached to the skin of the upper eyelid, and 0.2 g was added to this measured weight to determine the final implant weight. All patients underwent gold implant insertion into the upper eyelid, with the implants fixed to the tarsal plate using absorbable sutures to prevent prosthesis migration. Special attention was paid to precise layered tissue suturing. Subsequent ophthalmological examinations were conducted at various intervals post-surgery to evaluate the outcomes.

Results: Complete eyelid closure was achieved in 50% of the cases, while 100% of the patients reported subjective satisfaction with the surgical outcomes. The patients’ quality of life improved by an average of 85%. The average frequency of using moisturizing eye drops decreased from 7 times daily to 2 times daily. Improvement in the ocular surface condition was noted in all patients.

Conclusions: Gold implant insertion into the upper eyelid facilitates improvement in eyelid function and ocular surface condition, significantly enhancing the quality of life for patients with paralytic lagophthalmos.