Abstract:  Objective To measure the width of the upper and lower tarsal plates of China Han children with epiblepharon, and analyze their growth and development characteristics. Design Prospective case series. Participants From 2018 to 2022, 258 cases (516 eyes) of children with lower epiblepharon aged 2~13 years in Beijing Tongren Hospital were included. Methods Before the general anesthesia operation, the width of the upper and lower tarsal plates was measured by a steel ruler with an accuracy of 0.5 mm under the operating microscope. Upper eyelid medial tarsal plate width, upper eyelid central tarsal plate width, upper eyelid pupil temporal margin tarsal plate width, upper eyelid lateral tarsal plate width, lower eyelid medial tarsal width, lower eyelid central tarsal width, lower eyelid lateral tarsal width were included. Main Outcome Measures  Tarsal plate width.  Results The average width of the upper tarsal plate of 258 children was (4.76±0.74) mm for the medial tarsal plate, (8.05±0.70) mm for the central tarsal plate, (8.47±0.74) mm for the pupil temporal margin tarsal plate and (7.07±0.78) mm for the lateral tarsal plate. The average width of the lower tarsal plate was (3.18±0.49) mm for the medial tarsal plate, (3.87±0.51) mm for the central tarsal plate and (3.84±0.54) mm for the lateral tarsal plate respectively. There was no significant difference between male and female in children's upper and lower tarsal plate width. The width of central tarsal plate of the upper eyelid was (7.71± 0.46) mm in the 0~3 years group (n=21), (7.95±0.65) mm in the 4~6 years group (n=147), (8.25±0.70) mm in the 7~9 years group (n=72) and (8.59±0.94) mm in the 10~13 years group (n=17). The width of the tarsal plate in the center of the lower eyelid was (3.74±0.44) mm in 0~3 years old group, (3.84±0.52) mm in 4~6 years old group, (3.94±0.52) mm in 7~9 years old group and (4.06±0.46) mm in 10~13 years old group. Conclusions The growth and development speed of the upper eyelid tarsal plate is faster in China Han children with epiblepharon, reaching the widest at the age of 10~13, while the development of the lower eyelid tarsal plate is relatively slow. The tarsal plate at the temporal edge of the pupil is the widest, followed by the central tarsal plate of the upper eyelid, and the medial tarsal plate of the upper eyelid is the narrowest. This difference should be taken into account during eyelid surgery in children. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2023, 32: 316-319)

Key words:  tarsal plate width, children, epiblepharon