Abstract
Purpose: :
To analyse post operative refractive changes in children who underwent unilateral levator resection for congenital ptosis. Both mean sphere and cylindrical change was considered for each patient and compared to changes in the fellow non operated eye which is used as an age matched control.
Methods: :
Details of all children who underwent unilateral levator resection performed at Maidstone Hospital, Kent between 1998 and 2001 were retrospectively analysed. Every child (4-11yrs) had congenital unilateral ptosis and underwent levator resection, performed by one oculoplastic surgeon. Cycloplegic refraction was recorded before surgery and this was compared to the final refraction performed at their last clinic visit, at least 12 months after surgery.
Results: :
43 patients underwent levator resection in this 3 year time period. Complete data was collected for a total of 13 patients who underwent unilateral levator resection with a mean age of 7yrs. 61% of children had a greater refractive error on the side of the ptosis. At follow up (mean, 36.3 months; SD, 34 months), the mean spherical change in the operated eye was 0.41D (range 0.12-1.50D), compared to a mean change of 0.40D (range 0.25-2.00D) in the non operated eye. The mean cylindrical change in the operated eyes was 0.38D(range 0.25-1.00D), compared to a mean of 0.21D (range 0.50-1.75D) in the non operated eye.