The MedDev Corporation (Sunnyvale, California) has designed an external eyelid load weight (Blinkeze Lid Weights). The weights come in various sizes and different exterior surface skin tones and are fixed to the pretarsal skin surface of the upper eyelids.
These eyelid weights can be useful for temporary non-surgical treatment of facial nerve palsy with ocular complications such as lagophthalmos and loss of blink secondary to lack of nerve supply to the orbicularis oculi. These conditions can be potentially devastating when they lead to exposure keratopathy, corneal breakdown, ulcers, and even perforation.
For more information and a case study see Optometry (2006); 77: 340-342
For ordering information for this product go to the MedDev Corporation's website.
I imagine this might be useful in exposure keratopathy secondary to Grave's Disease. I wonder if we could get really heavy ones to induce a temporary tarsorrhaphy.
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