Will Eyelid Retraction Relax Post Surgery?

usually adjustment can indeed be made in this time frame with simple massage that MUST be guided and monitored by the surgeon who performed the procedure.  With the minimal difference your surgeon should be able to guide you with single finger traction excercise that will help adjust the repair without damaging it.  Consult with your original surgeon.

 

All the best,

 

Rian A. Maercks M.D.

It is more likely that it will retract more rather than relax.  That is the usual nature of healing/scarring with contracture from any surgery.  Recommend seeing your surgeon and/or an oculoplastic surgeon.

Dr Taban

Eyelid retraction surgery can be quite unpredictable, much more so than ptosis surgery [ the opposite situation which you are correcting a droopy eyelid].

In the early post operative period, sometimes active stretching of the eyelid maybe helpful, but at this point, I tend to agree with Dr. McCracken, that you may be at your final state. Your result seems to be reasonable, and sometimes "better" is the enemy of "good".

Two months is still fairly early in the healing process, and there is room for improvement. You can certainly try massaging the eyelid downwards at this stage. Getting the eyelids within 1 millimeter is an optimal result, and it may be that even if you are left with a slight asymmetry, further procedures would be ill-advised because your asymmetry falls within the margin of error inherent to the procedure. I would advise careful follow-up with your surgeon to monitor your progress.

Lagophthalmus or eyelid retraction is most commonly caused by thyroid problems including Graves Disease or due to traumatic scarring. Partial Mullers muscle resection is commonly performed to relax a scarred and spasmed Mueller's Muscle as seen with Graves. Further lid positioning can then be performed with a levator lengthening procedure, which seems to be your circumstance. Maximum scar retraction occurs at about 6 weeks post-op and can continue if unabated for many more weeks. Scar massage and squinting exercises can help to release the retraction. A 2mm discrepancy is within the tolerance of the surgery at 2 months and will probably not require revision.