[Adhesive eyelid weights ("reversible lidloading") for treatment of lagophthalmos]

In facial palsies with lagophthalmic keratopathy an hour-glass dressing is indicated, which has the disadvantage of a moisture chamber with visual impairment by steaming up. After weeks of placement dermal irritations are possible. An alternative is the gravity dependent lidloading, using gold implantation in cases of irreversible lagophthalmos.

Lead weights of 0.8 to 2.0 g are glued to the upper lid with an adhesive layer, that is well tolerated by the skin (Combihesive*), or by a simple foil that is glued on both sides (Tesafix). This results in a lidclosure without impairment of lid opening. After tests on 10 normal persons the described method was placed on 22 patients with lagophthalmos and compared with hour-glass dressing. The new method was applied to 36 additional patients.

The dynamic lead weight is effective and well-tolerated. It was more accepted cosmetically especially during the day because of better cosmetic appearance and better visual function than was the hour-glass dressing. These latter dressings are still important for use in serious cases during the night.

lidloading with lead weights that are glued by an adhesive layer to the upper lid can be recommended as a new method in cases of reversible lagophthalmos or as a preparatory step before gold implantation.