Nonsurgical correction of epiblepharon using hyaluronic acid gel

To report a single-center experience with nonsurgical correction of epiblepharon using hyaluronic acid gel.

The medical records of consecutive patients with symptomatic epiblepharon treated over a 3-year period with hyaluronic acid gel injection were reviewed retrospectively. Hyaluronic acid gel was injected transcutaneously into the suborbicularis plane to obliterate the abnormal skin fold or evert the eyelid margin. Successful treatment was defined as eversion of the eyelid margin as assessed by lash-cornea touch.

Ten eyelids of 8 patients (7 girls [88%]) underwent transcutaneous hyaluronic acid gel injection for correction of epiblepharon. Average age at presentation was 16.5 months (range, 1-72 months). Two patients had bilateral involvement. Of 10 eyelids, 8 had a distinct skin fold with a "valley" above it. Nine of 10 eyelids had lash-cornea touch in the primary gaze; 1 in downgaze. All 10 eyes had punctate corneal epitheliopathy on fluorescein staining. An average of 0.19 ml (range, 0.1-0.3 ml) of hyaluronic acid gel was injected per eyelid. After injection, 9 of 10 eyelids showed no lash-cornea touch in downgaze, and all 10 eyelids showed resolution of symptoms and epitheliopathy. Patients remained symptom-free for an average final follow-up of 19.1 months (range, 5-42 months). No procedure-related complications were noted.

In our small case series, transcutaneous hyaluronic acid gel injection into the lower eyelid effectively corrected symptomatic epiblepharon; the effect was long lasting.