Can A Tarsal Strip Procedure That Has Left My Eyes Looking Rounded Be Revised?

Q: Dr. Eppley, Is there a such thing as tarsal strip revision? I am also concerned with how this surgery  has left me with small and round eyes. Is tarsal surgery permanent? Is there a surgery that can reverse this? Have you performed revision tarsal strip surgeries in the past, or is this an unusual circumstance?

A:Yes there is. Tarsal strip procedures are generally done in an effort to tighten/raise the corner of the eyes, for a variety of medical and cosmetic reasons. Revisions of this procedure may be needed when it is not entirely successful, such as inadequate tightening/lid positioning or widened scars in the corners of the eyes.When the corners of the eyes are tightened, the lateral aperture of the eye (where the upper and lower eyelids meet) can become less sharp and more blunted. This can very well create the appearance of a smaller and more rounded eye. Once a tarsal strip lateral canthoplasty has healed, it will be permanent. A revision can be performed to open up or change the amount of aperture closure although they are not always successful. But a milllimeter or two of aperture change may be aesthetically beneficial.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana