Unexpected effect of upper eyelid blepharoplasty on lid position

Aim: The study aims to evaluate upper eyelid position after upper eyelid blepharoplasty by measuring margin -reflex distance 1 (MRD1). Material and Methods: Patients who applied to the Oculoplasty Clinic of our hospital and underwent upper eyelid blepharoplasty between January 2021 and March 2022 were retrospectively scanned. Patients whose preoperative and postoperative 3rd month photographs were obtained were included in the study. Patients who had simultaneous ptosis surgery, internal or external browpexy, fat pack removal, or botulinum toxin injection within the last 6 months were not included in the study. MRD1 was measured using digital photographs with the help of a special program, and the values before surgery and 3 months after surgery were compared. Results: Thirty-eight eyes of 19 patients (12 female, 7 male) were included in the study. The average age of the patients was 65.1 +/- 6.01 (56-78). While the mean MRD1 value was 2.374 +/- 0.755 mm before surgery, it was 2.501 +/- 0.772 mm in the 3rd month after surgery. This difference was found to be statistically significant (p=0.022). Discussion: Anticipating a change in MRD1 following blepharoplasty surgery will facilitate a more accurate determination of postoperative eyelid position. A significant increase in MRD1 was observed in the 3rd month after upper lid blepharoplasty surgery, and it is recommended that this effect should not be ignored when planning surgery.