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Contact lens wear may be only environmental factor associated with acquired eyelid ptosis

In a study of identical twins, researchers determined wearing hard or soft contact lenses was the only environmental factor studied to be associated with an increased risk of acquired eyelid ptosis.

The researchers studied photographs of 286 set of twins from a prospectively collected database and identified 96 sets of identical twins with differing ptosis severity. Using the photographs, the researchers evaluated the degree of ptosis in both eyes of each twin. After taking into account the different environmental risk factors that could contribute to blepharoptosis, the researchers analyzed the potential correlations of nine environmental risk factors with ptosis.

Of the 192 individuals included in the final evaluation, 47 were contact lens wearers. The researchers calculated a mean ptosis measurement of 1.1 mm, with a total of 89 of the twins demonstrating ptosis of 0 mm to 1 mm, 73 demonstrating 1 mm to 2 mm of ptosis and 27 demonstrating 2 mm to 3 mm of ptosis. Three subjects were measured at greater than 3 mm of ptosis.

No statistical association with increased occurrence of ptosis was found for body mass index, number of hours slept per night, work stress, smoking and alcohol consumption, according to the researchers. Although use of both hard and soft contact lenses was significantly associated with ptosis, hard contact use was associated with more ptosis than soft contact use, the researchers reported.

Although the exact cause of contact lens-induced ptosis is unknown, it has been hypothesized that the pulling of the upper eyelid to place and remove the contact could be to blame, according to the researchers. - by Abigail Sutton

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.