![]() 2,3 Lagophthalmos can result from a number of potential causes, but usually is attributable to one of three etiologies: proptosis, or excessive ocular surface exposure palpebral insufficiency (e.g., shortened tarsal height or reduced tonus) and idiopathic. The term lagophthalmos has a most interesting derivation it comes from the Greek word lagos––meaning hare––as members of the rabbit family were once believed to sleep with their eyes open. Patients with nocturnal lagophthalmos characteristically present with this telltale staining of the inferior cornea that corresponds to the area of exposure. Kaufman, and fellow researcher Jeffrey Katz, M.D., described nocturnal lagophthalmos as “corneal exposure during sleep a relatively common cause of previously undiagnosed, chronic keratitis.” 1 One of the first individuals to discuss nocturnal lagophthalmos in the modern era was Herbert Kaufman, M.D. ![]() If the answer to these questions is “yes”––as was the case in our patient––then the likely diagnosis is nocturnal lagophthalmos.
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