An important and Often Missed Diagnosis

Epiblepharon is a common, often unrecognized cause of epiphora and ocular irritation in the child. Epiblepharon consists of an extra fold of eyelid skin and orbicularis muscle overlying an eyelid margin. Occasionally an epibleph-aron can push the lashes against the sensitive corneas, especially in down-gaze. This paper illustrates epiblepharon and stresses the need for eyelid margin examination in downgaze in the child with epiphora or conjunctivitis. ~’IB~E~’i-~.4Rt~Ie ~ is an often unrecognized entity presenting in an infant with epiphora and ocular irritation. The physician usually recognizes infectious conjunctivitis and nasc~lacrir~lal duct obstruction as frequent causes of ocular irritation but overlooks epiblepharc~n. This paper discusses epiblepharon and stresses the need for eyelid margin examination in the child with epiphora or conjunctivitis