Shape and Height of Tarsal Plates

Area of Science:

• Oculoplastic Surgery
• Anatomy
• Ophthalmology

Background:

• Tarsal plates are crucial connective tissues within the eyelids.
• Understanding their dimensions is vital for reconstructive and aesthetic eyelid surgery.
• Existing data on Asian tarsal plate anatomy is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To precisely define the anatomical characteristics, including shape and vertical height, of tarsal plates in the Korean population.
• To provide quantitative data that can inform surgical techniques, particularly supratarsal fixation.
• To compare Asian tarsal plate dimensions with those of Caucasians.

Main Methods:

• Dissection of 54 Korean adult cadaver eyelids to expose tarsal plates.
• Qualitative observation of tarsal plate shapes and classification into symmetric, medially skewed, and laterally skewed types.
• Quantitative measurement of vertical tarsal plate height at medial, central, and lateral thirds.

Main Results:

• Tarsal plates were predominantly semilunar shaped.
• Upper eyelids showed a high prevalence of laterally skewed tarsal plates (77.8%).
• Vertical height of upper tarsal plates was greatest centrally (9.3 mm), while lower tarsal plates were also tallest centrally (4.6 mm).
• Upper tarsal plates in Koreans were smaller than in Caucasians, but lower tarsal plate height was similar.

Conclusions:

• Korean tarsal plates exhibit specific shape and height variations, with a notable prevalence of laterally skewed upper tarsal plates.
• The measured dimensions, particularly the base-height ratio of the upper tarsal plate (approx. 7:3), are important for surgical planning.
• These anatomical insights are valuable for optimizing supratarsal fixation techniques in Asian blepharoplasty, potentially improving aesthetic outcomes.