Eyelid changes in long-standing leprosy.

To describe eyelid changes in ocular leprosy, 74 patients (148 eyes or 296 eyelids) were examined, focusing on eyelid abnormalities. The adnexal examination included evaluation of the upper eyelid crease pattern, qualitative assessment of the orbicularis oculi muscle function, measurement of the distance between the corneal reflex and the upper eyelid margin (margin reflex distance), and slit-lamp biomicroscopy of the eyelashes and tarsal conjunctiva. Eyelash ptosis was a common finding associated with a multiple upper eyelid crease pattern and trichiasis. In the past, eyelash ptosis has probably been diagnosed as upper eyelid entropion or trichiasis, but in this series entropion was not observed. The distinction between eyelash ptosis, trichiasis, and upper eyelid entropion is important because the surgical management for each is different. Other true leprotic abnormalities of the eyelids are lagophthalmos and lower lid ectropion.