The relationship between floppy eyelid syndrome and obstructive sleep apnoea.

Abstract

To determine the prevalence of eyelid hyperlaxity and floppy eyelid syndrome (FES) in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), and the presence of OSA in FES. One-hundred and fourteen patients who had been consecutively admitted for OSA evaluation and 45 patients with FES in which sleep studies were recorded. Subjects underwent eyelid laxity measurement, slit-lamp examination and polysomnography. Eighty-nine patients were diagnosed of OSA. Fourteen patients with OSA had FES (16%) and 54/89 (60.67%) had eyelid hyperlaxity. Two of the 25 non-OSA patients had FES (8%) and 8 of 25 (32%) had eyelid hyperlaxity. There was a significantly higher incidence of eyelid hyperlaxity in OSA than in non-OSA patients (p=0.004). Thirty-eight of the 45 patients with FES were diagnosed of OSA (85%) and 65% had severe OSA. OSA might be an independent risk factor for eyelid hyperlaxity and severe OSA is common in patients with FES.