Does Obesity Contribute to Poor Eyelid Laxity?

Eyelid laxity is a clinical term, which refers to the lower and/or upper eyelids containing less elastin and collagen than normal, thus appearing loose and droopy. This condition causes irritation, excessive tearing, and redness that may contribute to dry eye syndrome. Many factors are believed to cause eyelid laxity, such as smoking and excessive sun exposure. A study was conducted to see whether a high body mass index (BMI) was a factor in eyelid laxity. This study focused on subjects’ age ranging between 20-85 years old. Each subject lacked visible facial nerve palsy and eyelid trauma that can influence accurate laxity measurements. It was unknown if patients had previous eyelid surgery, which may also affect measurements due to laxity correction. Upon acquiring consent, a Blephometer was prepared for taking eyelid measurements. Fluress was instilled in the patients’ eyes to temporarily numb them, and eyelid measurements were observed and recorded. Preliminary data indicated that eyelid laxity measurements of patients with a higher BMI were significantly worse than patients with a healthy BMI.