'Henderson's' relief of eyelid retraction revisited

The purpose of the study was to identify those patients with thyroid eye disease and upper eyelid retraction who would benefit from Henderson's procedure (myotomy of Muller's superior tarsal muscle with graded division of levator aponeurotic fibres on the anterior tarsal plate). The clinical records of patients attending the Thyroid Clinic of Moorfields Hospital who had undergone Henderson's procedures were reviewed. Twenty-two patients (19 women, 3 men) had Henderson's procedures at age 35-69 years (mean 49.9), with a mean follow-up of 4.55 years. Eleven patients had bilateral upper eyelid surgery, 11 unilateral (33 eyelids). The pre-operative vertical palpebral apertures ranged from 11 to 19 mm (mean 13.95); the post-operative vertical palpebral apertures ranged from 8 to 15 mm (mean 11.45), a mean reduction of 2.5 mm (p < 0.001). Eight of twenty-two patients (36%) had further eyelid surgery and 3 of 22 (14%) had further surgery recommended because of persistent upper eyelid retraction, abnormal eyelid contour (lateral flare) and asymmetry. It is concluded that Henderson's procedure should be reserved for those patients with minor degrees of almost symmetrical upper eyelid retraction who do not have abnormalities of their eyelid contour.