Lateral Canthoplasty Reconstruction: Reviews and Results

In this post, I will discuss lateral canthoplasty reconstruction and share some reviews on the procedure.

I am reposting this content as there was an error with the previous post.

Occasionally, when lateral canthoplasty is performed too aggressively, the lateral canthal ligament can become damaged.

When this happens, the eye loses its normal structure, and the lower eyelid sags downward, creating a ‘U-shaped’ or ‘boxy’ deformity.

In such cases, lateral canthoplasty reconstruction surgery is required to restore the eye’s natural shape.

The case shown above is an example where the lower mucosa is exposed.

It gives the impression that the eyelid is sagging or drooping.

The lower lid droops down much like a sagging clothesline.

To fix this, we need to pull the ends of that ‘clothesline’ tight again.

This is the appearance one week after surgery. The edges of the mucosa are now firmly attached. There is no longer any mucosal exposure.

You can see the results in the video below.

Frequently Asked Questions

In what cases is canthoplasty revision surgery necessary?

It is necessary when the lateral canthal ligament is damaged due to excessive canthoplasty, resulting in side effects. If the lower eyelid sags, forming a 'ㄷ'-shape at the outer corner of the eye, or if the lower conjunctiva is exposed, revision surgery should be considered.

Why does conjunctival exposure occur due to canthoplasty side effects?

It occurs because the lateral canthal ligament is damaged and cannot maintain its normal structure. When the ligament is damaged, the lower eyelid sags downwards, much like a clothesline that has stretched and drooped, causing the red conjunctiva inside to be exposed.

What is the principle of canthoplasty revision surgery?

The principle is to pull the stretched end of the lower eyelid taut again and fix it. Similar to tightening both ends of a sagging clothesline, the damaged lateral canthal ligament is repaired to correct the outer corner of the eye so that the conjunctiva adheres closely to the eyeball.

What happens one week after canthoplasty revision surgery?

One week after surgery, the conjunctiva at the outer corner of the eye can be seen to be normally adhered. The conjunctival exposure symptoms that occurred due to the sagging lower eyelid disappear, and the eye shape is tautly corrected, restoring a normal structure.