Background: First, we were looking if a correlation between the extent of ptosis and superior visual field defect exists. In a second step visual fields in blepharochalasis were compared with those in ptosis.
Patients and methods: Pre- and postoperative visual fields in 20 patients with blepharochalasis, 6 patients with congenital and 9 with acquired ptosis were tested using program 7 of Octopus 500 automated perimeter. The degree of ptosis was separated in mild, medium and severe. According to the extent of visual field defect the same parameters as in ptosis were used also grading blepharochalasis in mild, medium and severe.
Results: We found that the amount of upper visual field defect clearly correlated with the extent of ptosis. In addition, patients with congenital ptosis showed less visual field defect compared to those with acquired ptosis. Comparable to ptosis surgery blepharoplasty also lead in severe and medium cases to a clear gain of upper visual field.
Conclusion: Using perimetry and the same grading system as for ptosis makes it possible to study the functional defect occurring to the blepharochalasis patient.