Platinum Eyelid Weight

[Sonia in Sydney]

Hi,

I am 2 years post AN surgery and had a tarsorraphy procedure just after my operation due to facial palsy and resulting dry eye. My eye DR has suggested we now remove the tarsorraphy and insert a platinum weight in my eyelid to help with the last bit of eye closure. I am actually able to close my eye when i need to however it doesn't seem to close s often during day to day activity, independently. (bright sun without glasses, windy days are still hard) For those who have had the weight inserted, could you advise how this has helped and if any side affects i need to consider. Anyone at this stage of recovery who has decided not to have a weight inserted and allowed there eye to recover naturally? Just trying to weigh up whether its a necessary procedure and any issues associated with having an eyelid weight.

Thanks
 

[Amz569]

I'm in the same boat and pushing for a weight. In Canada we only have the low profile gold ones tho and can't get platinum. They can always be removed if necessary like infection or eye naturally heals.

[alabamajane]

Hi Sonia,
I had a good weight put in right after my surgery and only needed it for a year. Once removed my eye closes well. I still use drops occasionally and hardly ever need night lubricant. Wind and sun bothersome but not unbearable.

I don't remember any side effects. You have to remember not to rub your eye, may need more drops daily to keep it moist so it doesn't rub eye,,but I don't remember any real issues with having it. I didn't use any mascara or other eye makeup mostly because it bothered my eye to remove it. I didn't want anything causing an eye infection either so was very careful with my eye.

I don't imagine you will have any problems from a platinum one. Some folks may tend to be more allergic to gold,  ,

Good luck,,
Jane

[Patti]

I had mine for 8 years and had to beg my doctor to take it out.  It helped at first, but started moving to the outside layer of my eyelid and was very visible.  I got it out and things are fine.  It mostly closes but I am good about the eyedrops.

[Sonia in Sydney]

Thanks all for your replies. Its good to hear all issues associated with the eyelid weight. Jane, when you say you regained eye closure, is that full spontaneous eye closure? I am trying to understand if this is procedure is necessary for me at all.
I can close my eye when i think about it, but it still doesn't close as rapidly as my good eye when blinking naturally. I don't seem to need drops anymore and only occasionally use the lubricant at night. I do wonder why my eye doctor thinks its necessary but perhaps he thinks things will worsen when the tarsorraphy is removed. Any advice?

[alabamajane]

Sonia,
I had my weight for about a year 5 years ago. My eye does close by itself all the way but not as tightly as the other. I can squint and close it tightly,  I have facial paralysis to a small degree still so that is another reason it doesn't work as well.

I don't know what your doctor's reasoning is,, and I didn't have a tarsorraphy so not sure how your eye will react when that is removed , as you say, he may feel you will need the extra "help" to close the eye until your face fully recovers,,

It was not a bad procedure and not really much to deal with while I had the weight in,, but then I was dealing with recovery and total facial paralysis at the same time,, good luck to you,,,,
Jane

[odirish]

I have a gold weight and I had it removed but I did not have the eye closure and therefore had to have it put in again. I have noticed
that it has slipped and should probably get it taken care of.


Mary Ann