Reducing postoperative morbidity after the insertion of gold weights to treat lagophthalmos

Paralysis of the orbicularis oculi muscle leads to an unopposed action of the levator of the upper eyelid (lagophthalmos) in facial nerve palsy. The resultant exposure of the cornea may lead to keratitis, corneal ulceration, and eventual blindness. Although many surgical options exist in the treatment of lagophthalmos, upper lid loading with a gold weight implant has become one of the preferred methods to reduce the complications that may follow. The problems encountered after gold lid loading and methods to reduce postoperative morbidity are not well documented. The objective of this study was to determine the range of morbidity seen after gold weight insertion and to evaluate the effect of supratarsal fixation on subsequent morbidity. After retrospective reviews by questionnaire and case note analysis, supratarsal fixation was found to noticeably reduce the rate of implant ulceration and extrusion. This study demonstrates upper lid loading to be an effective method for the treatment of lagophthalmos, and it supports fixation of gold weights in reducing surgical morbidity.