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Ptosis repair, blepharoplasty yield relief from tension-type headaches in upper eyelid repair

Both standard upper eyelid blepharoplasty and ptosis repair were associated with improved headache-related symptoms in patients requiring intervention for obscuration of the superior visual field.

The researchers assessed changes in quality of life associated with headaches in a cohort of 108 patients who underwent blepharoplasty and 44 patients who underwent ptosis repair. The study was conducted in 2014 to 2015.

Participants completed surveys before surgery and a minimum of 3 months after surgery (mean, 13.5 weeks; range, 12-17 weeks).

Symptoms of tension-type headaches were reported in 35.2% of the patients who underwent standard upper eyelid blepharoplasty and 63.6% of those treated with ptosis repair.

In the standard blepharoplasty group, the mean preoperative HIT score was 55.9, while the postoperative score was 46.4 (P = .001). For the ptosis repair group, the preoperative HIT score was 60 and the postoperative score was 42.3 (P = .001). Patients treated with ptosis repair had significantly higher preoperative and significantly lower HIT scores than those in the standard blepharoplasty group.

The mean decline in HIT score was 17.8 in the ptosis repair group, compared with a decline in score of 9.5 in the blepharoplasty group (P = .002). – by Rob Volansky

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.