To evaluate long-term effectiveness of lateral tarsal strip procedure combined with Quickert sutures in correcting involutional entropion.

The retrospective study reviewed 82 eyes of 71 patients with involutional entropion whose follow-up period was more than 6 months among patients who underwent lateral tarsal strip procedure combined with Quickert sutures between February 2003 and February 2010.

The postoperative follow-up period was 6 months to 78 months (average 40.2 months) and the average age was 63.5 years. Out of 82 eyes, 3 eyes recurred and the recurrence rate in the lateral tarsal strip procedure combined with Quickert sutures was 3.6%; postoperative overcorrection was not observed. Out of the 3 recurrence cases, 2 eyes both recurred 6 months after the operation and were treated by Quickert sutures alone with no recurrence. The other case recurred 1 year and 4 months after lateral tarsal strip procedure combined with Quickert sutures and was corrected by this operation again. There was no recurrence for a follow-up period of 2 years.

An effective approach was obtained during long-term follow-up when lateral tarsal strip procedure combined with Quickert sutures was conducted as repairing operations in involutional entropion. The approach showed lower recurrence rate than the existing reports of operations such as lateral tarsal strip procedure or Quickert sutures when conducted alone and provided long-lasting effectiveness in the correction of involutional entropion.