Cornea abrasion from under the eyelid ptosis surgery. Did my doctor mess up the surgery?

Question

Hello. I had Ptosis repair done 2 weeks ago. I believe the doctor had to flip my eyelid inside out at one point. My stitches are still intact and haven't been taken out yet. I have been healing OK so far. Last night I was rushed to the ER due to a sudden pain in my eye as though something was scratching it. The doctor said it is due to the inner suture rubbing against my eye, and gave me a bandage lens. Did my doctor mess up the surgery? Do I have to reoperate? Why is this only occurring now?

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

If you had an anterior levator resection ptosis surgery, and the suture used to permanently anchor the levator aponeurosis has eroded through the back surface of the eyelid to rub the cornea, this is a problem. Wearing a contact lens is only a temporary measure. That suture should be removed from the front of the eyelid and replaced with a more superficially passed permanent suture. If you had a posterior approach mueller's muscle conjunctival resection ptosis surgery, a suture is left in. In the past, the surgery was performed with a permanent suture that was removed about a week after surgery. However, in recent years, it has become popular to do this work with a fast absorbing gut suture. This suture typically beaks down in about a week. If a suture other than a fast absorbing gut suture was placed, that might be problem. In my opinion, whatever suture is present needs to be removed. Merely investigating this will require fully numbing the eyelid. The suture should be removed at that point and if necessary replaced. Without more information, it is impossible to know if your doctor "messed up" or if this is just one of those things that can happen after surgery. Either way, that suture needs to come out and this should be done soon-like today or tomorrow in my opinion.

Mark L. Mazow, MD, FACS · Answer

A corneal abrasion two weeks after ptosis surgery is not very common. It does not , however mean that your surgeon did anything wrong at all. You did not say what type of ptosis surgery was done. Often during an external approach repair the lid is flipped to make sure the sutures are not eroding through the tissue. A Bandage lens is a great way to manage the abrasion  in the short term until you can see your surgeon to flip the lid and remove the offending suture. This is a well known complication of ptosis surgery and is easily managed. You should do fine, but see your surgeon promptly

Cornea abrasion from under the eyelid ptosis surgery. Did my doctor mess up the surgery?

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Everything you need to know about Ptosis Surgery

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Cornea abrasion from under the eyelid ptosis surgery. Did my doctor mess up the surgery?

Answers (2)

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Ptosis Surgery

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.