LAGOPHTHALMOS. 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 spasm of the levatores palpebræ, 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 neoplasms in the orbit and in buphthalmus.
Cases of the kind are especially liable to irritation, inflammation and ulceration due to foreign bodies falling on the exposed bulb.
The treatment is largely that of the attendant condition ectropion, tumor, etc., which may be consulted.