Lymphoedema of the eyelids

Lymphoedema of the eyelids interfering with vision can be a very debilitating condition. The aetiology is frequently unknown. Successful treatment by debulking and skin grafting has been described in a few cases. We present a case of sudden onset of massive bilateral eyelid oedema, which was treated using staged debulking without skin grafting. However, the cosmetic result was poor in comparison with skin grafting, suggesting that skin grafting may be a better way of treating this difficult problem.