Unilateral blepharochalasis

We present two unique cases of unilateral blepharochalasis. Blepharochalasis is an idiopathic disorder of young adults manifested by intermittent, recurrent episodes of eyelid edema. After repeated episodes of swelling, the periorbital tissue develops premature aging with thinned, redundant skin and stretching of the eyelid tendons. Blepharochalasis is considered bilateral; unilateral cases are extremely rare. Ptosis surgery in these cases may be unpredictable due to alterations in the levator aponeurosis. Simple reattachment of the apparent edge of the disinserted levator aponeurosis may cause significant overcorrection and variations in postoperative eyelid heights. Our two unilateral cases demonstrated proptosis on the affected side, and prominent vessels in the levator aponeurosis and suborbicularis muscle planes, plus vascular changes in orbital fat in one case. Blepharochalasis therefore may be an orbital rather than a periorbital disease, as suggested previously. Proptosis is probably overlooked in the usual bilateral cases. When all other causes of unilateral swelling have been ruled out and the findings are consistent with blepharochalasis, this diagnosis should be considered.