Abstract
AIM: To observe the incidence of full or partial eyelid closure at death. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The presence of ptosis was recorded in 100 consecutive hospice patient deaths. RESULTS: Majority (63%) of the patients died with their eyes fully closed, however, 37% had bilateral ptosis at death, with incomplete eye closure. In this study, central nervous system tumor involvement and/or acute hepatic encephalopathy appeared to be pre-mortem risk factors of bilateral ptosis at death. CONCLUSION: Organicity and not psychogenicity is, therefore, the likely etiology of failure of full eyelid closure at death.