THE positive value of tarsorrhaphy for the treatment of various corneal diseases is well known. Tarsorrhaphy is particularly useful in the treatment of corneal ulcers where drying seems to be an aggravating factor, ie, neuroparalytic keratitis, Stevens-Johnson's syndrome, ocular pemphigus, chronic corneal ulcers with irregular surfaces, lagophthalmos, and exophthalmos. Tarsorrhaphy, though effective, has two main disadvantages. The first is the difficulty in examining and medicating the anterior segment of the eye with the lids closed. With the lids closed, the eye can become inflamed, infected, or can perforate, and the physician may be unaware until irreparable damage has occurred. The second disadvantage is the inevitable distortion of the lid margin which occurs on cutting through the lid adhesions when opening the tarsorrhaphy. This distortion of the lid margin, in addition to causing trichiasis, is especially detrimental since by reducing the efficiency of blinking, it can aggravate the original condition of