Eye surgery can improve eye comfort and quality of life for those with facial paralysis, according to a new study.
Facial paralysis is a devastating problem for the patient, as the eyelids can’t close to moisturize and protect the eye, leading to corneal dryness, irritation and tearing. In addition, the paralyzed side of the face may be expressionless and drooping.
“Eyelid weight placement, lower eyelid suspension, and brow ptosis [drooping or sagging of the eyelid] correction are frequently performed to protect the eye,” wrote Dr. Douglas K. Henstrom, of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and colleagues.
The study included 37 patients with facial paralysis who had surgery using platinum eyelid weights to treat the condition and completed preoperative and postoperative quality of life surveys. Overall, their quality of life improved significantly after surgery. “Patients also reported a significant decrease in the amount of time their eye felt dry, irritated or scratchy,” the researchers wrote in a news release.
“This simple intervention can give patients improvement not only in eye health but in overall quality of life,” the authors wrote in their discussion. “In addition, those patients who do not report an improvement in global quality of life tend to still report an improvement in eye-specific quality-of-life measures.”
In the overall treatment paradigm for patients with facial paralysis, treating the eye using this method is simple, and it not only improves corneal protection but also yields a significant subjective benefit, the researchers concluded.
An abstract of the study, “Surgical Treatment of the Periocular Complex and Improvement of Quality of Life in Patients With Facial Paralysis,” which appeared in the March/April issue of Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, can be viewed online.
Patients are highly satisfied after 
For the month of June – designated ‘national safety month’ – medical societies like the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, The American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery, and others, have collaborated to offer some safety tips to prevent injuries stemming from lawnmower use. 