Changes to Eye Whiteness and Eyelid/Brow Position With Topical Oxymetazoline in Aesthetic Patients

Oxymetazoline hydrochloride 0.1% ophthalmic solution has recently been approved in the United States for the treatment of ptosis.

The aim of this study was to assess the upper and lower eyelid position as well as the brow position and the color of the sclera following the ophthalmic administration of oxymetazoline hydrochloride 0.1%.

In this prospective cohort study, consecutive patients presenting with ptosis received topical oxymetazoline 0.1%. The primary outcome was measurement of the upper eyelid height (margin-to-reflex distance 1 [MRD1]) and lower eyelid height (MRD2) relative to the center of pupil, along with assessment of brow height, measured on photographs at baseline and 2 hours after instillation of oxymetazoline. The secondary outcome was the assessment of the color of the sclera (eye whiteness) before and after treatment with a novel color space algorithm.

Twenty-nine patients participated in the study. The mean [SD] MRD1 at baseline was 2.3 [0.6] mm. At 2 hours following oxymetazoline treatment, the mean MRD1 significantly increased to 4.2 [0.9] mm (P < 0.01). The mean MRD2 also significantly increased from 5.3 [0.9] mm to 5.7 [1.0] mm (P < 0.01). Brow position did not change with treatment (P = 0.4). Following treatment, the eye sclera became significantly whiter, with a mean ΔEab (color change) of 9.7 [3.9], with 57 out of 58 eyes experiencing a significant change in color. A change of ΔEab ≥2 is considered visually perceptible to the human eye.

Within 2 hours of use, oxymetazoline significantly improves the size of the palpebral aperture (MRD1 + MRD2) and also makes the eye appear significantly whiter.