Suture Lid Spring for Lid Closure in Patients With Facial Nerve Palsy

The eyelids protect the cornea and eyelid closure is essential to ocular health and clear vision. Patients with permanent Bells palsy or facial nerve palsy from other reasons such as tumours or trauma may be unable to blink and protect their cornea. Irreversible visual loss can occur if the cornea is not kept lubricated. Current treatment options for patients whose eyelid blink does not recover include lubricating the eye every hour or two with drops and lubricating ointment at night, patching the eye closed, sewing parts of the eyelid together (tarsorrpahy), upper lid gold weight or a dental wire spring. It is inconvenient to lubricate the cornea constantly, and the lubricating drops and ointment usually cost more than $80.00 per month. Lubrication often blurs vision, because the patient must look through a film. Patching the eye closed and tarsorraphy deprives the patient of perip