Desmarres Eyelid Retractor, Size 0 – 140 mm

The eyelid is not retracted the way other tissue is — it is everted. The blade passes under the lid margin and rolls it outward and away, which lifts the whole lid off the globe rather than simply pulling it aside. That distinction matters because the cornea is directly beneath: a retractor that dragged the lid across the eye would abrade the surface it is meant to be exposing.

The blade rests against conjunctiva, which is why its curve and finish do the work. A smooth curved blade spreads its bearing along the inner lid surface, so the lid is held for the length of a procedure without a pressure line forming where an edge would sit. Size 0 is the narrowest of the Desmarres series, for smaller lids and for work where a wider blade would cover the field it is opening. The insulated version is for use alongside electrosurgical instruments.

Specifications