Fomon Retractor, 17 cm – Ball Tips 5 × 10 mm, Insulated

Ball tips are the least traumatic shape a retractor can end in. There is no edge and no corner, so no orientation in which the tip can cut or snag — it can only press. On the eyelid, where the tissue is among the thinnest in the body and sits directly over the globe, that matters more than the extra grip a hook or a toothed blade would provide. The 5 × 10 mm tips are elongated rather than round, giving a longer bearing surface so the pressure spreads along the lid rather than concentrating at a point.

The insulation layer addresses the other hazard in eyelid surgery, which is electrosurgery. Blepharoplasty involves fine haemostasis very close to the retractor holding the lid, and an uninsulated metal instrument in contact with tissue can conduct current away from the intended point. Insulating the shaft keeps the current where the surgeon placed it.

Specifications