WIDENED PALPEBRAL FISSURE. 



After wounds of the outer canthus the union of the edges may 

 remain imperfect so that the fissure is enlarged and the eye un- 

 duly exposed. The case is still worse if the wound has deviated 

 from the horizontal and has involved the orbicular muscle, the 

 divided ends of which continue to draw the edges apart, and 

 cause a constant overflow of tears (epiphora). Enlargement of 

 the bulb or its protrusion by reason of a swelling beneath it may 

 give rise to the same appearance (exophthalmos). 



Treatment. Pare the edges of the upper and lower lids at the 

 outer canthus and bring them together by sutures. 



LAGOPHTHAIvMUS. INABILITY TO CLOSE EYELIDS. 



This is called hare-eye (lagos, hare) from the fact that the 

 hare habitually keeps the eyelids open. It is mostly due to 

 spa.sm of the levatores palpebrse, or to undue size of the orbicular 

 opening. It may, however, accompany ectropion, exophthalmos, 

 and enlargement or swelling of the eyeball from any cause. 

 Bayer has seen cases in diseases of the trifacial nerve, in neo- 

 plasms in the orbit and in buphthalmus. 



Cases of the kind are especially liable to irritation, inflamma- 

 tion and ulceration due to foreign bodies falling on the exposed 

 bulb. 



The treatment is largely that of the attendant condition ectro- 

 pion, tumor, etc., which may be consulted. 



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