| Popis: |
Severe exposure keratopathy in thyroid eye disease is caused by the drying of the ocular surface due to lagophthalmos caused by proptosis, upper eyelid retraction, and blinking disorders. The eyelids play a crucial role in the blinking mechanism for secretion, distribution, and drainage processes of the tear fluid to maintain a healthy ocular surface. It is therefore the eyelid position which causes severe exposure keratopathy to occur, and if not managed properly, it will end with perforation and blindness. An emergency surgical intervention in order to cover the cornea using a very simple technique is blepharotomy (full-thickness eyelid transection) to lengthen the upper lid, performed with local anesthesia, generating a good eyelid function and cosmetic result. |
