The degree of laxity of the medial and lateral canthal tendon in Korean subjects with and without involutional entropion and epiphora was evaluated in the present study.

The present study included 180 normal subjects (360 eyes), 12 patients (15 eyes) with involutional entropion, and 41 patients (58 eyes) with epiphora. The degree of laxity of the medial and lateral canthal tendon, which grades the position of the inferior punctum, was measured using the lateral and medial distraction test.

The mean degree of medial and lateral canthal tendon laxity was 1.83/1.08 in normal subjects. A statistical difference was not observed between sexes, and the mean degree of laxity tended to be higher in older patients. The mean degree of laxity was 2.78/2.18 and 2.28/1.22 in the involutional entropion group and the epiphora group, respectively. The involutional entropion group and the epiphora group underwent endoscopic endonasal dacryocystitis (D), medial spindle procedure (M), and endoscopic endonasal dacryocystitis with the medial spindle procedure and/or the tarsal strip procedure (T). The mean degree of laxity was 1.84/1.04 in group D, 3.00/1.20 in group M, 2.33/2.00 in group D + T, 3.20/1.40 in group D + M and 3.50/2.00 in group D + T + M before surgery.

The results from the present study may aid in the selection of a basic treatment plan for Korean patients with involutional entropion or epiphora.