Lower eyelid tension in young adults determined by a simple lid tensiometer.

Purpose: Eyelid tension seems to be related to corneal astigmatism and to affect the ocular surface. The aim of this study is to determine the lower eyelid tension in young adults with a simple lid tensiometer.

Methods: A commercially available precision digital pressure gauge that was connected to a pressure-guided tube full of water with a sensor at its end being placed between the lower eyelid and ocular surface was used as the lid tensiometer to measure the lower eyelid pressure at the central lid in 8 male and 12 female subjects aged between 20 and 39 years with normal healthy eyes. Measurements were respectively performed by 2 operators under the same conditions to test possible interoperator variation.

Results: The lower eyelid pressures of the 20 subjects measured by 2 operators at the central lid were 445.28 ± 121.17 and 458.65 ± 127.15 Pa, respectively. The test of interoperator variation demonstrated that there was good agreement between 2 operators (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.965, F = 56.09, P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Our simple lid tensiometer is a viable option for measuring eyelid pressure with good repeatability.