Beneficial effect of eyelid make-up (natural rubber latex) to induce a new fold in the treatment of blepharoptosis in myotonic dystrophy

Blepharoptosis is one of the troublesome ocular complications of myotonic dystrophy. To correct drooping eyelids for two men with myotonic dystrophy, we used Eye Putti®, a cosmetic made of natural rubber latex, which induces a new fold in the upper eyelid. The cosmetic rubber latex dramatically improved the sight of a 59-year-old patient who previously had a great difficulty in looking forward and had to bend his head backward to see an object because of severe blepharoptosis. The other patient aged 54 with moderate ptosis also had satisfactory improvement. Appropriate use did not prevent eye blinking and induce corneal erosion or skin rash. The cosmetic rubber latex was effective to patients who had no residual function of the levator palpebrae and frontal muscles. This daily treatment is simple and safe, therefore may have an advantage over surgical correction of blepharoptosis for patients not only with myotonic dystrophy, but with other neuromuscular disorders including oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy.