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Purpose: To study the metrics of lid saccades in blepharoptosis and to distinguish any differences in the dynamics of eyelid movements that are related to the cause of blepharoptosis and to aging., Methods: The lid and vertical eye saccades of 7 patients with congenital blepharoptosis and those of 18 patients with aponeurogenic blepharoptosis, either involutional or rigid-contact-lens-induced, were recorded with electromagnetic search coils. For each saccade, two parameters were assessed: amplitude and peak velocity. Two age-matched control groups were assessed in the same manner. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to investigate any observed differences between the included groups., Results: Congenital and rigid-contact-lens-induced blepharoptosis were readily distinguishable from one another, as well as from the age-matched control group, in both lid saccadic amplitude and peak velocity. For example, 40 degrees downward lid saccades in the congenital blepharoptosis group averaged 22.9 degrees +/- 4.0 degrees (SD), whereas 30.0 degrees +/- 4.7 degrees lid saccades were made by the age-matched control group. The subjects in the two groups with aponeurogenic blepharoptosis also made lid saccades that were distinctive for their group (P: < 0.02), in both amplitude and peak velocity. For 40 degrees downward saccades in involutional and rigid-contact-lens-induced blepharoptosis, lid saccadic amplitude averaged 32.7 degrees +/- 4.3 degrees and 40.3 degrees +/- 3.5 degrees, respectively. Lid saccadic peak velocity declined significantly with age. Lid saccadic peak velocity for 40 degrees upward saccades in the younger control group averaged 401.7 +/- 11.4 deg/sec, whereas the older control group achieved an average peak velocity of 360.7 +/- 60.4 deg/sec. The lid saccadic dynamics in the involutional blepharoptosis group proved to be similar (P: > 0.05) in saccadic amplitude and peak velocity to those of age-matched controls., Conclusions: In different forms of blepharoptosis, distinctive metrics of lid saccades occur. The current data suggest that involutional blepharoptosis is not a consequence of normal age-related changes in eyelid function.

Purpose: To describe the saccades made by patients with Graves' disease (GD) and to attempt to distinguish these objectively and quantitatively from the saccades in control subjects., Methods: In 12 euthyroid patients with GD, the saccades of both eyes were recorded simultaneously with electromagnetic search coils. Subjects were asked to alternate their gazes between two fixed targets that were 10 degrees, 20 degrees, 30 degrees, or 40 degrees apart along each horizontal or vertical meridian. The data from the patients with GD and those from the similarly recorded group of 12 control subjects were examined in two ways. First, the difference in saccadic sizes between the two eyes was assessed. Second, the saccadic dynamics--that is, the maximum velocity and the saturation constant of the main sequence--were determined for each eye. Repeated measurement analysis of variance was used to test observed differences between the two groups. Finally, through exact logistic regression analysis, classification of the saccades as those of a patient with GD or of a control subject was carried out., Results: The saccades of patients with GD were generally less conjugate than those of control subjects (P < 0.05). On average, the maximum main sequence velocities in patients with GD were lower than in control subjects (P < 0.05). The saccades of patients with GD were well differentiated from those of control subjects., Conclusions: The saccades in GD may differ markedly from normal saccades, and the two can be reliably distinguished.

Purpose: To examine the conjugacy of lid saccades in normal subjects., Methods: Saccades of both upper eyelids were recorded simultaneously by means of small, lightweight, magnetic search coils, fixed on each lid. Subjects then made vertical eye saccades between fixed targets. The associated eye saccades were recorded simultaneously by means of magnetic search coils. The authors further examined whether the position of the lid coils affected the recordings., Results: Lid saccades were not as conjugate as their associated eye saccades. Nonconjugacy of lid saccades averaged approximately 8% of the target amplitude, irrespective of saccadic direction. By contrast, nonconjugacy of the associated eye saccades averaged approximately 1% of the target amplitude. Coil position significantly (P < 0.05) affected the recordings., Conclusions: Lid saccades are not as conjugate as their associated eye saccades. Coil position is critical for the recordings of lid saccades.