Follow-up methods and the apparent success of entropion surgery

Purpose: To determine if follow-up methods affect the apparent success rate of the surgical repair of involutional entropion. Methods: A review of articles published in English between 1939 and 1997, and a review of a series of 112 patients who underwent entropion repair with a combination of a tarsal strip procedure, a partial pretarsal orbiculectomy, and creation of an eyelid crease. Results: Only ten of 104 published reports contained information on the method by which follow-up data were attained. The apparent success rate of surgery in the case series declined in proportion to the effort made to detect unsuccessful cases. Long-term follow-up office examinations revealed cases of residual postoperative entropion that had not been detected by spontaneous patient complaints or by telephone interviews. Conclusion: Future reports on the results of entropion repair should include longterm follow-up that includes physical examination with testing to provoke latent entropion.