Social implications of blepharoptosis and dermatochalasis

To investigate the social implications of blepharoptosis and dermatochalasis.

Two hundred ten individuals rated whole-face photographs of a series of patients based on 11 different personal characteristics: intelligence, threat, friendliness, health, trustworthiness, hard work, mental illness, financial success, attractiveness, alcoholism, and happiness. Preoperative and postoperative photographs of both male and female patients with bilateral blepharoptosis and/or dematochalasis were used. The paired t test was used to compare preoperative versus postoperative ratings on the 11 characteristics.

The preoperative photographs were rated more negatively than were the postoperative photographs (p < 0.01) on all 11 characteristics for both male and female patients by the 210 study subjects.

Members of our society view individuals with blepharoptosis and dermatochalasis negatively. These social attitudes may lead to unjust bias toward affected patients, and surgical correction probably provides benefits beyond improved visual function.