AIM:To study the effect of different surgeries for vision and postoperative complications in leprosy patients with lagophthalmos.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis. Totally 68 leprosy patients(97 eyes)with lagophthalmos were selected who treated with different surgeries during May 2007 to September 2015 in our sanatorium. The surgeries included nylon thread correction surgery, tarsorrhaphy, temporalis transposition surgery. We observed and compared the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)and the rate of postoperative complications, such as epiphora, lacrimal duct injury, hard to open eyes, infection at the inner and lateral canthus and scar formation of lacrimal apparatus.

RESULTS: The effect on BCVA of patients treated with nylon thread correction surgery and tarsorrhaphy: the preoperative and postoperative BCVA was significantly different of the two groups(Z=-4.193, -4.213; P<0.05); the preoperative and postoperative BCVA was not significantly different of the patients underwent temporalis transposition surgery(Z=-1.532, P >0.05). The postoperative complications:(1)epiphora: there was 91% in patients underwent nylon thread correction surgery, 89% in patients underwent tarsorrhaphy, 59% in patients underwent temporalis transposition surgery, the difference was statistically significant(χ²=12.198, P<0.05);(2)lacrimal duct injury: there was 66% in patients underwent nylon thread correction surgery, 95% in patients underwent tarsorrhaphy, 41% in patients underwent temporalis transposition surgery, the difference was statistically significant(χ²=22.415, P<0.05);(3)hard to open eyes: there was 56% in patients underwent nylon thread correction surgery, 55% in patients underwent tarsorrhaphy, 22% in patients underwent temporalis transposition surgery, the difference was statistically significant(χ²=8.795, P<0.05);(4)infections: there was 84% in patients underwent nylon thread correction surgery, 3% in patients underwent tarsorrhaphy, 11% in patients underwent temporalis transposition surgery, the difference was statistically significant(χ²=60.858, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: There are certain clinical efficacy for lagophthalmos caused by leprosy after surgery, especially patients after temporalis transposition surgery can close eyes by oneself. And their vision does not change significantly, which suggests that this surgery may prevent exposure injury for cornea. But the iatrogenic injury, the vision decrease in patients underwent other surgeries and the ocular tissue damage, such as epiphora, lacrimal duct injury, hard to open eyes, infection at the inner and lateral canthus and scar formation of lacrimal apparatus should be pay more attention to.