When should a patient with eyelid malposition be referred urgently to ophthalmology for specialist assessment?

A patient with eyelid malposition should be referred urgently to ophthalmology if there are signs of acute or severe complications such as corneal exposure, ulceration, or significant visual impairment.

Urgent referral is indicated when eyelid malposition leads to symptoms that threaten the integrity of the eye or vision, for example, if the eyelid malposition causes corneal damage or if there is sudden onset of pain, redness, or vision changes.

While the provided guidelines do not explicitly detail eyelid malposition referral criteria, urgent ophthalmology assessment is generally warranted in cases where eyelid malposition results in ocular surface compromise or risk of sight loss, consistent with principles in ophthalmic care.