[Tearing and eyelid laxity with no ectropion: is tarsal strip always effective?].

PURPOSE: To verify whether the tarsal strip procedure improves epiphora of patients with eyelid laxity but no ectropion.

METHODS: A retrospective study was done with a sample of epiphora patients with lax eyelids in normal position and no nasolacrimal obstruction who were operated on with the tarsal strip technique. Fourteen lower eyelids, in 11 patients, were included in the study.

RESULTS: Epiphora in ten eyes (71.4%) completely or significantly improved after a follow-up of three months. Eyelid laxity disappeared in all cases.

CONCLUSION: In patients with epiphora, lax eyelids and patent lacrimal ducts, the tarsal strip procedure can significantly improve epiphora in most cases. As laxity ceased to exist in all eyelids, an assumption can be made that in some of the failures there may be other causes, concomitant with eyelid laxity, to explain perseverance of epiphora.