The relationship between floppy eyelid syndrome and obstructive sleep apnoea

Br J Ophthalmol. 2013 Nov;97(11):1387-90. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2012-303051. Epub 2013 Apr 12.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of eyelid hyperlaxity and floppy eyelid syndrome (FES) in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), and the presence of OSA in FES.

Participants: One-hundred and fourteen patients who had been consecutively admitted for OSA evaluation and 45 patients with FES in which sleep studies were recorded.

Methods: Subjects underwent eyelid laxity measurement, slit-lamp examination and polysomnography.

Results: Eighty-nine patients were diagnosed of OSA. Fourteen patients with OSA had FES (16%) and 54/89 (60.67%) had eyelid hyperlaxity. Two of the 25 non-OSA patients had FES (8%) and 8 of 25 (32%) had eyelid hyperlaxity. There was a significantly higher incidence of eyelid hyperlaxity in OSA than in non-OSA patients (p=0.004). Thirty-eight of the 45 patients with FES were diagnosed of OSA (85%) and 65% had severe OSA.

Conclusions: OSA might be an independent risk factor for eyelid hyperlaxity and severe OSA is common in patients with FES.

Keywords: Eye Lids.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Eyelid Diseases / diagnosis
  • Eyelid Diseases / epidemiology
  • Eyelid Diseases / etiology*
  • Eyelids / physiopathology*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polysomnography
  • Prevalence
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / complications*
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / physiopathology
  • Spain / epidemiology
  • Syndrome