Eyelid aging: pathophysiology and clinical management.

Life expectancy is increasing in most countries. With increasing age, many individuals may develop involutional ophthalmic diseases, such as eyelid aging. Dermatochalasis, ptosis, ectropion, and entropion are common disorders in middle-aged and older adults. This review outlines the pathophysiology and clinical management of these involutional eyelid disorders. Recently, a decrease in elastic fibers with ultrastructural abnormalities and an overexpression of elastin-degrading enzymes have been demonstrated in involutional ectropion and entropion. This may be the consequence of local ischemia, inflammation, and/or chronic mechanical stress. Eyelid aging with progressive loss of tone and laxity may affect the ocular surface and adnexal tissues, resulting in different clinical symptoms and signs. Surgical management depends on the appropriate correction of the underlying anatomical defect.

Eyelid aging: pathophysiology and clinical management / Envelhecimento palpebral: fisiopatologia e considerações clínicas

ABSTRACTLife expectancy is increasing in most countries. With increasing age, many individuals may develop involutional ophthalmic diseases, such as eyelid aging. Dermatochalasis, ptosis, ectropion, and entropion are common disorders in middle-aged and older adults. This review outlines the pathophysiology and clinical management of these involutional eyelid disorders. Recently, a decrease in elastic fibers with ultrastructural abnormalities and an overexpression of elastin-degrading enzymes have been demonstrated in involutional ectropion and entropion. This may be the consequence of local ischemia, inflammation, and/or chronic mechanical stress. Eyelid aging with progressive loss of tone and laxity may affect the ocular surface and adnexal tissues, resulting in different clinical symptoms and signs. Surgical management depends on the appropriate correction of the underlying anatomical defect.

RESUMOA expectativa de vida está aumentando na maioria dos países. Com o envelhecimento, muitos indivíduos desenvolverão doenças oculares crônicas e involucionais, tais como o envelhecimento palpebral. Dermatocálase, ptose, ectrópio e entrópio são doenças frequentes em adultos e idosos. Esta revisão destaca a fisiopatologia e a clínica de doenças palpebrais involucionais. Recentemente, uma diminuição de fibras elásticas com anormalidades ultraestruturais e um aumento de enzimas degradantes de elastina foram demonstrados em ectrópio e entrópio involucionais. Isto pode ser consequência de isquemia local, inflamação e/ou estresse mecânico crônico. O envelhecimento palpebral com perda progressiva de tônus e flacidez pode afetar a superfície ocular e os anexos oculares, resultando em sinais e sintomas clínicos diferentes. O tratamento cirúrgico depende da correção apropriada do defeito anatômico subjacente.