Eyelid Anatomy, Reconstruction, and Blepharoplasty


Chapter 26

Eyelid Anatomy, Reconstruction, and Blepharoplasty



General Anatomy (see Figure 26.1)



1. Upper eyelid layers (superficial to deep)


Skin → orbicularis oculi muscle → retro-orbicularis oculi fat (ROOF) → orbital septum → orbital fat (central and medial) → levator palpebrae superioris m. → Müller’s muscle → conjunctiva



2. Lower eyelid layers (superficial to deep)


Skin → orbicularis oculi muscle → suborbicularis oculi fat (SOOF) → orbital septum → orbital fat (lateral, central, and medial) → levator palpebrae superioris m. → Müller’s muscle → conjunctiva


3. Orbital fat


Upper eyelid


Two compartments: Medial and central


Medial fat is pale in color.


No lateral compartment, because the lacrimal gland occupies the lateral portion


Lower eyelid


Three compartments: Medial, central, and lateral


Medial fat is pale in color.


Medial and central compartments separated by the inferior oblique m.


4. Vascular supply of the eyelids (see Figure 26.2)


Branches of the ophthalmic a. (medially) and lacrimal a. (laterally) via the internal carotid artery


Form the medial and lateral palpebral a., which anastomose to create the arterial arcades of the lid


The upper eyelid has two arterial arcades.


Marginal arcade runs along the surface of the tarsal plate, 2 to 3 mm above the eyelid margin


Peripheral arcade runs parallel to the marginal arcade, superior to the tarsal plate, and in between the levator m. and Müller’s m.


The lower eyelid has only one well-developed marginal arcade.


Also receive arterial supply from branches of the facial a., superficial temporal a., and infraorbital a. via the external carotid a.



5. Sensory innervation of the eyelids (see Figure 26.3): Via the ophthalmic (V1) and maxillary (V2) divisions of the trigeminal n.


Supraorbital n.: Upper eyelid and forehead skin


Exits the orbit through the supraorbital notch or supraorbital foramen


Supratrochlear n.: Central forehead skin and medial upper eyelid


Courses superiorly through the corrugator m. and is vulnerable to injury during transpalpebral resection of medial brow depressors


Infratrochlear n.: Medial upper and lower eyelid and medial canthal tendon


Lacrimal n.: Lacrimal gland, conjunctiva, and lateral portion of the upper eyelid


Zygomaticofacial n.: Lateral fat pad of the lower eyelid and lateral skin of the lower eyelid


Infraorbital n.: Lower eyelid, cheek, and upper lip



6. Orbicularis oculi m. (see Figure 26.4)


Superficial muscle of facial expression, innervated by the facial n. (frontal and zygomatic branches)


Divided into three anatomical portions: Orbital, preseptal, and pretarsal


The orbital orbicularis m. is used in forced eyelid closure.


The preseptal and pretarsal orbicularis fibers are critical for blinking and voluntary winking and originate medially from a superficial and deep head associated with the medial canthal tendon.


The pretarsal orbicularis fibers run horizontally, anterior to the tarsus, and insert into the lateral orbital tubercle (Whitnall’s tubercle) via the lateral canthal tendon.


Avoid injury to the pretarsal orbicularis.



7. Orbital septum


A connective tissue structure that functions to contain the orbital contents


Attaches peripherally at the orbital rim via the arcus marginalis (the periosteal extension of the septum) and fuses centrally with the lid retractors at tarsal plates at the lid margins


A transconjunctival approach to the lid/orbit can be performed in a pre- or postseptal plane.


8. Eyelid retractors


Levator complex


Originates at the orbital apex from the lesser wing of the sphenoid and travels horizontally until it reaches the Whitnall ligament, where it then changes to a more vertical direction before inserting onto the upper eyelid tarsal plate, orbital septum, and dermis via an aponeurosis


Above the level of the tarsus, the orbital septum lies anterior to the levator, and preaponeurotic fat lies posterior to the orbital septum.


Müller’s muscle lies directly posterior to the levator m., superior to the tarsus.


Motor innervation via the oculomotor n. (cranial n. [CN] III).


Müller’s muscle


Sympathetic smooth muscle of the upper eyelid


Arises from the levator complex and inserts directly on the tarsus


Positioned posterior to the levator m., directly superior to the tarsus


Resection of Müller’s m. can provide 2 mm of eyelid elevation.


Capsulopalpebral fascia


Makes up the anteriosuperior portion of the lower eyelid retractors distal to the Lockwood ligament


Inserts on the inferior border of the tarsus and functions akin to the levator m. in the upper eyelid


Divided during the transconjunctival incision


9. Inferior oblique muscle


Located between the medial and central fat compartments of the lower eyelid, deep to the periosteum


Vulnerable to injury when performing fat excision or fat compartment manipulation during lower blepharoplasty or via inadvertent resection, cauterization, scarring, hemorrhage, edema, or suture injury while repairing the septum


Depending on the extent of injury, symptoms, including diplopia, can be transient or permanent.


10. Orbitomalar ligament/orbicularis retaining ligament (see Figure 26.5)


Attaches the orbicularis oculi muscle of the eye to the orbital rim, separating the lower eyelid from the midface


Contributes to the lateral canthal ligament


Release is required to obtain access to the midface when approaching it from the lower eyelid.



11. Whitnall ligament


Fascial thickening of the upper eyelid that surrounds the levator m. and tarsus to provide structural support to the lid and aids the levator m. in elevating the lid superiorly by changing the functional orientation of the m. fibers


Attaches laterally to the orbit at Whitnall’s tubercle (lateral orbital tubercle)


12. Lockwood ligament


A fascial thickening of the lower eyelid that surrounds the inferior rectus and inferior oblique muscles and fuses with the capsulopalpebral fascia to support the globe


Analogous to the Whitnall ligament in the upper eyelid


13. Canthal tendons (see Figures 26.6 and 26.7)


Medial canthal tendon (or medial palpebral ligament)


Fibrous band that is continuous with the tarsal plates and attaches the lid to the orbital rim


Three limbs: Anterior, posterior, and superior


Posterior, or deep limb, attaches to the posterior lacrimal crest


Intimately related to the pretarsal and preseptal orbicular oculi m. and lacrimal system


Lateral canthal tendon (or lateral palpebral ligament)


Attaches the upper and lower tarsal plates to Whitnall’s tubercle inside the lateral orbital rim and deep to the septum





Lacrimal/Eyelid Physiology



1. The lacrimal drainage system (see Figure 26.8)


Consists of the lacrima gland, punctum, ampulla, canaliculi, lacrimal sac, and nasolacrimal duct



2. Eyelids open


The lacrimal puncta are open and in contact with the lacrimal lake at the medial aspect of the lower eyelid


The lacrimal sac is collapsed and empty, and the canaliculi are patent.


3. Eyelids closed


The lacrimal puncta are closed.


4. Normal tear flow


Opening the eyelids


The canaliculi open to allow collection of tears.


The lacrimal diaphragm returns to its resting position because the sphincter action of the oribularis is released.


Relaxation of the lacrimal diaphragm creates sufficient pressure to propel the tears from the lacrimal sac into the nasolacrimal duct.


Closing the eyelids


Tears are milked lateral to medial


The deep heads of the preseptal muscles contract, which


Shortens the canaliculi and closes their ampullae.


Pulls the lacrimal diaphragm laterally, creating negative pressure that opens the lacrimal sac, causing it to fill with tears


5. Lacrimal pump failure can be caused by anatomic obstruction and/or functional failure.


Functional failure may be due to a displaced punctum, eyelid laxity, weak orbicular muscle of the eye, or CN-VII palsy.


Anatomical obstruction may occur at any point along the lacrimal drainage pathway and may be congenital or acquired.


Primary acquired lacrimal duct obstruction: Occurs in elderly patients secondary to fibrosis


Secondary acquired obstruction may be caused by tumors, trauma, or mechanical obstruction.


6. Testing lacrimal function


Jones tests: Two tests used to evaluate for and discern among functional and obstructive etiologies of poor tear flow


Jones-I test: Fluorescein dye is injected into the punctum, and the examiner looks for presence of fluorescein dye drainage from the nose.


A positive test means that there is drainage.


A negative test means that there is no drainage and suggests an obstruction; requires a Jones-II test.


Jones-II test: Performed after a negative Jones-I test and involves cannulation of the punctum and irrigation with 1 mL of saline


If fluorescein-dye-stained fluid is now visualized at the inferior turbinate, there is partial obstruction of the lower canalicular system (most likely at the level of the nasolacrimal duct).


If fluorescein-dye-stained fluid is found flowing retrograde within the tear sac, this suggests total obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct.


7. Treatment options for lacrimal pump failure


Can perform nasolacrimal duct dilation or stent placement in cases of distal functional pump failure.


Contraindicated in cases of complete obstruction


Conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy (CDCR): Performed in cases of flaccid canaliculi, paralysis of the lacrimal pump, and when the site of obstruction is proximal (punctum, canaliculi, lacrimal sac)


CDCR is not required when these structures are intact.


Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR): Performed in cases of distal obstruction (nasolacrimal duct)

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Sep 2, 2016 | Posted by in Aesthetic plastic surgery | Comments Off on Eyelid Anatomy, Reconstruction, and Blepharoplasty

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