What are long palpebral fissures (long openings between the eyelids, strange eye shape)?
Long palpebral fissures are defined by a longer-than-normal opening between the eyelids. The distance between the medial and lateral aspect of the eye is larger than 2 SD above the mean, or greater than 1/5 of the face. This longer opening may lead to a unique or unusual eye shape. This longer opening between the eyelids may be the result of a genetic syndrome and will always present with other unique facial features.
Understanding eye-related symptoms and features
Symptoms may affect multiple parts of the body. Understanding which part of the body a symptom affects, can help us to better understand the potential underlying causes of a symptom, including a rare disease or genetic syndrome.
The eye is a part of the ocular and visual systems of the body. The ocular system includes the eye and its central vision system (cornea, lens, eye fluids), all of the parts which make vision possible.
Symptoms affecting the eyes may be congenital, present at birth, or they may develop later in life. Sometimes surgery may be an option to correct them.
Symptoms relating to the eyes may affect their structure and function including their ability to see, other times they may simply affect the shape or appearance of the eye without any impact on vision.
What should I do next?
In some instances, long palpebral fissures may be one of the features of a rare disease or genetic syndrome. To find out if someone with Long Palpebral Fissures, may be due to a genetic syndrome, it is important to have a consultation and evaluation with a clinical genetic specialist. Specialists may also suggest specific genetic testing or other types of tests to help reach a diagnosis. FDNA’s AI technology can help speed up the diagnostic process by analyzing facial features and other health information.