Eyelid sensation after supratarsal lid crease incision.

Purpose: To determine the severity and duration of the loss of eyelid sensation after upper eyelid crease incision.

Methods: This clinic-based case study was performed by analyzing observational measurements of patients undergoing upper blepharoplasty or ptosis surgery. Eighty-three eyelids of 50 patients were studied. A Cochet-Bonnet filament-type aesthesiometer was used to obtain all measurements. Preoperative and postoperative measurements were recorded at 1 week, 1 month, and final (2-6 months) time periods. Statistical analysis evaluated the degree and duration of the sensory loss and the extent of recovery during the evaluation period. Recovery of sensation was defined as a numerical reading within one point of baseline.

Results: The mean aesthesiometry reading was calculated at the preoperative (3.45), 1-week (1.20), 1-month (1.56), and final postoperative (2.56) periods. Paired t testing showed a decreased but significant difference in sensation measurement at each comparison. Recovery of sensation to within one point occurs at the preoperative to late time period comparison. All but 4 of the 68 eyelids tested at the 1-week postoperative time period had a measured loss of sensation. Of the 44 eyelids tested at the final time period, all but 1 had regained some or all of this sensory loss.

Conclusions: Loss of skin sensation in the eyelid after upper eyelid crease incision blepharoplasty or blepharoptosis repair occurs in most patients and should be considered an expected outcome of the procedure. Partial to complete recovery of eyelid sensation over 2 to 6 months should also be expected, though in rare instances this does not occur.