Scholars@Duke
Christopher Robert Dermarkarian

Christopher Robert Dermarkarian

Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology, Comprehensive Ophthalmology

Selected Publications

Role of Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy in Advanced T3 or T4 Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia: A Review of the Current Literature

Journal Article Current Ophthalmology Reports · December 1, 2025 Purpose of Review: To report on the use of chemotherapy and immunotherapy for advanced T3 or T4 ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN). Recent Findings: Surgical excision has traditionally been the mainstay of treatment for ocular surface squamous neopla ... Full text Cite

Hybrid neurofibroma-schwannoma of the orbit: a case report and review of the literature.

Journal Article Orbit · October 2025 Hybrid peripheral nerve sheath tumor is a rare tumor subtype that infrequently occurs within the orbit. A 50-year-old male presented with a 6-year history of worsening left-sided proptosis and hypoglobus. Magnetic resonance imaging of the orbits revealed a ... Full text Link to item Cite

Relative exophthalmos in facial nerve palsy.

Journal Article Can J Ophthalmol · October 2025 OBJECTIVE: While ocular manifestations of facial nerve palsy, such as lagophthalmos are well known, there is limited knowledge on whether CN 7 palsy impacts globe positioning and its implications on symptoms and management. We hypothesize that CN 7 palsy i ... Full text Link to item Cite

The Anatomy of Lower Eyelid Fat Pad Vasculature as Found in Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasties.

Journal Article Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg · August 23, 2025 PURPOSE: The vasculature within the lower eyelid fat pads in bilateral lower eyelid blepharoplasty (BLLB) surgery is not well described. Characterization of vasculature may help prevent excessive bleeding by describing the locations where pre-emptive caute ... Full text Link to item Cite

Bilateral upper lid symblepharon following posterior approach ptosis surgery.

Journal Article Orbit · August 6, 2025 An unusual case of bilateral upper eyelid symblepharon after routine ptosis repair uncovered occult Sjogren's syndrome, underscoring the need for thorough pre-surgical evaluation in all patients and systemic workups for post-operative cicatrization. ... Full text Link to item Cite

Trends in Demographic, Clinical, Socioeconomic, and Facility-Specific Factors Linked to Eyelid Melanoma Survival: A National Cancer Database Analysis.

Journal Article Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg · July 2025 PURPOSE: This study aimed to analyze demographic, clinical, socioeconomic, and facility-specific factors affecting the survival outcomes of patients diagnosed with eyelid melanoma (EM) between 2004 and 2017 using data from the National Cancer Database. MET ... Full text Link to item Cite

Risk of Blindness From Temple Filler Injections: Investigating Vascular Anastomoses Between the Deep Temporal and Ophthalmic Arteries.

Journal Article Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg · July 2025 PURPOSE: Soft-tissue filler injections, particularly hyaluronic acid, are popular for temple volume restoration. Although uncommon, this area poses risk for vision loss from embolic occlusion. Guidelines recommend injecting into the supraperiosteal plane f ... Full text Link to item Cite

Survival Outcomes of 997 Patients With Eyelid Sebaceous Carcinoma in the National Cancer Database.

Journal Article J Craniofac Surg · July 2025 OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to characterize the survival of patients with sebaceous carcinoma (SC) of the eyelids according to demographics and other variables. METHODS: Patients with SC of the eyelids from 2004 to 2017 were identified in the National Can ... Full text Link to item Cite

Rare classification of a lower eyelid lesion as tubular apocrine adenoma

Journal Article American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports · June 1, 2025 Full text Cite

A Rare Case of Solitary Fibrous Tumor Involving the Nasolacrimal Duct System in a 12-Year-Old Female: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Journal Article Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg · May 2025 The authors report the youngest case of solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) with extensive involvement of the nasolacrimal duct system and discuss current literature regarding this tumor type. A 12-year-old female presented with a 6-month history of an enlarging ... Full text Link to item Cite

Recurrence following ptosis repair surgery: a multivariate analysis of risk factors.

Journal Article Orbit · April 2025 PURPOSE: To identify and evaluate the risk factors for ptosis repair failure. METHODS: Retrospective, case-controlled study evaluating adult patients with ptosis who underwent ptosis surgery by external levator advancement/resection (ELR) or Müller muscle ... Full text Link to item Cite

A Proposed Protocol for the Acute Management of Palpebro-Orbital Myiasis: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Journal Article Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg · January 2025 Periocular and orbital myiasis are rare, vision-threatening conditions characterized by the infestation of dipterous fly larvae into periorbital and orbital tissues. While it has been primarily reported in tropical and subtropical regions where the climate ... Full text Link to item Cite

Upper Blepharoplasty and Browplasty

Chapter · January 1, 2025 Cosmetic rejuvenation of the periocular area can include incisional and non-incisional procedures. Although the use of non-incisional procedures, including botulinum toxin, dermal fillers, and skin resurfacing, has gained in popularity, the oculoplastic su ... Full text Cite

Fire Safety in Oculofacial Surgery

Chapter · January 1, 2025 Operating room fires are a critical danger in oculofacial surgery owing to the proximity of oxygen, ignition sources, and fuels. The best practices to reduce the risk of a surgical fire include minimizing oxygen in the surgical field, strategic draping, co ... Full text Cite

Direct Brow Lift

Chapter · January 1, 2025 The direct brow lift or direct brow-pasty is an effective surgery to treat brow ptosis. The direct brow lift offers optimal functional results due to the tissue resection that is in immediate proximity of the eyebrows. The main shortcomings of this procedu ... Full text Cite

Orbital Floor Fracture Repair

Chapter · January 1, 2025 Orbital floor fractures are common after facial trauma. Surgical indications are functional and aesthetic, including but not limited to oculocardiac reflex, diplopia, enophthalmos, and hypoglobus. This chapter details repair of orbital floor fractures usin ... Full text Cite

Factors associated with pediatric silicone rod frontalis sling exposure or infection: single-institution experience of 193 eyelids.

Journal Article Int Ophthalmol · November 9, 2024 PURPOSE: To determine the pre-operative, peri-operative, or post-operative risk factors that contribute to pediatric frontalis sling infection or exposure. METHODS: Retrospective study of 193 eyelids that underwent silicone-rod frontalis sling surgery at a ... Full text Link to item Cite

Nontraumatic orbital hematoma secondary to labor and childbirth: a case report and review of the literature.

Journal Article Int Ophthalmol · April 26, 2024 PURPOSE: Non-traumatic orbital hemorrhage without underlying vascular malformations or predisposing conditions is uncommon, and particularly rare in the context of maternal labor. This study combines a novel case report and retrospective review to analyze ... Full text Link to item Cite

Eyelid Vitiligo Treatment with Topical Ruxolitinib.

Journal Article Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg · March 2024 Full text Link to item Cite

Infection of a Nylon Foil Orbital Implant Due to Fusarium brachygibbosum and Lomentospora prolificans After Intranasal Methamphetamine Use.

Journal Article Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg · January 2024 The authors describe a case of nylon foil implant infection caused by Fusarium brachygibbosum , and Lomentospora prolificans following medial orbital wall fracture repair in the setting of postoperative nasal methamphetamine use. A 61-year-old male present ... Full text Link to item Cite

Injectable fillers for lower eyelid rejuvenation

Chapter · November 7, 2023 Correction of the lower eyelid hollows is one of the most common cosmetic patient requests. Over time, volume loss, tissue descent and bony resorption in this area can cause a prominent tear trough deformity and a discrepancy between the eyelid and cheek, ... Full text Cite

Medial canthal surgery

Chapter · November 7, 2023 The medial canthus is key for proper positioning of the lower eyelid to the globe as well as for facial appearance. The medial canthus includes important tendinous structures as well as the proximal lacrimal drainage apparatus. Externally, the medial canth ... Full text Cite

Neurotoxins to the lower eyelids

Chapter · November 7, 2023 Repeated contraction of periorbital muscles over time can contribute to aging via the formation of hyperkinetic facial lines better known as wrinkles. Superficial injection of neurotoxin such as botulinum toxin A (BTX- A) into the lower eyelid transiently ... Full text Cite

Reconstruction of Large Full-Thickness Lower Eyelid Defects With Remnant Eyelid Rotation, Semicircular Skin and Muscle Flap, and Lateral Tarsoconjunctival Flap.

Journal Article Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg · September 2023 PURPOSE: To describe and assess the results of reconstruction of large, full-thickness defects of the central or medial lower eyelid using a semicircular skin flap, rotation of the remnant lateral eyelid, and a lateral tarsoconjunctival flap. METHODS: The ... Full text Link to item Cite

Metastatic Epithelioid Sarcoma of the Eyelid in a 47-Year-Old Man: A Case Report.

Journal Article Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg · July 2023 Epithelioid sarcoma is a rare soft tissue neoplasm of uncertain differentiation that typically affects the distal extremities. Primary orbital epithelioid sarcoma is rare, and no reports exist characterizing metastases of this tumor to the orbit and ocular ... Full text Link to item Cite

Orbitomalar Erosive Basal Cell Carcinoma.

Journal Article Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg · March 2023 Full text Link to item Cite

Kimura Disease of the Periorbita and Earlobe in a 15-Year-Old Male: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Journal Article Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg · January 2023 PURPOSE: The authors describe a case of Kimura disease (KD) affecting the lacrimal gland, the ipsilateral periorbita, and the contralateral earlobe. The authors also review the literature for characteristics and outcomes of KD affecting the periorbita or e ... Full text Link to item Cite

Bilateral orbital inflammation in a 6-month old with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Journal Article Orbit · October 2022 A 6-month-old female presented with bilateral periorbital edema for 7 days. Laboratory testing was significant for active SARS-CoV-2 infection. Neuroimaging demonstrated soft tissue changes within the bilateral orbits and enlargement of the bilateral lacri ... Full text Link to item Cite

Optic nerve biopsy in leukemic infiltrative optic neuropathy: a case report and review of the literature.

Journal Article Orbit · August 2022 Optic nerve infiltration is a rare but known complication of the central nervous system (CNS)-involving lymphoma and leukemic disorders. The diagnosis is often presumed and patients are empirically treated with systemic therapy and/or local radiation. Opti ... Full text Link to item Cite

Pediatric Bartonella henselae neuroretinitis masking co-infections

Journal Article American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports · March 1, 2022 Purpose: Neuroretinitis (NR) is an inflammatory disorder that presents with painless vision loss due to optic disc edema, peripapillary detachment, and macular lipid exudation. We report the first two documented cases of co-infections of pediatric NR due t ... Full text Cite

Clinical challenge - scratching the surface of the sheath.

Journal Article Surv Ophthalmol · 2022 A 63-year-old Caucasian man with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, adrenal insufficiency, and history of metastatic spindle cell melanoma previously treated with ipilimumab, presented with unilateral papillitis in the left eye. The disc edema evolved to neuror ... Full text Link to item Cite

Bilateral acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction secondary to amyloidosis in a 15-year-old.

Journal Article J AAPOS · April 2021 A 15-year-old boy who presented with a 1-week history of increasing erythema, edema, and tenderness of the right upper and lower eyelids was found to have acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) secondary to primary amyloidosis. To our knowledge, thi ... Full text Link to item Cite

Ophthalmic changes in patients with hemifacial atrophy (Parry-Romberg syndrome).

Journal Article Int Ophthalmol · February 2021 PURPOSE: Parry-Romberg syndrome (PRS) is a rare condition characterized by progressive, unilateral facial atrophy. We hypothesize that patients with this condition may have involvement of the ocular structures. Here, we report our ophthalmic, clinical and ... Full text Link to item Cite

Visual preservation in congenital orbital fibrosis.

Journal Article Can J Ophthalmol · February 2021 OBJECTIVE: Congenital orbital fibrosis (COF) is a nonprogressive, unilateral, congenital process in which variable fibrosis is demonstrated in the orbit, resulting in restrictive strabismus, upper eyelid malposition, and axial displacement of the globe. We ... Full text Link to item Cite

Polytetrafluoroethylene frontalis suspension in blepharospasm with eyelid apraxia: an effective and well-tolerated adjunct to botulinum toxin therapy.

Journal Article Orbit · February 2021 Purpose: To report the efficacy of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) frontalis suspension for blepharospasm with eyelid apraxia and postoperative botulinum toxin requirements. Methods: Retrospective chart review of patients with blepharospasm and eyelid aprax ... Full text Link to item Cite

Topical Corticosteroid Use Associated With Increased Degree of Ptosis and Rate of Ptosis Repair Failure.

Journal Article Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg · January 2021 PURPOSE: To compare the degree of ptosis and the risk of ptosis repair failure among patients with and without a history of topical corticosteroid use. METHODS: Retrospective, case-controlled study examining topical corticosteroid use among adults with pto ... Full text Link to item Cite

A shotgun wedding.

Journal Article Surv Ophthalmol · 2021 A 69-year-old woman developed a carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF) after firing a shotgun. Initially, the patient had mild visual symptoms, but later on developed prominent features of CCF including chemosis, proptosis, ophthalmoparesis and conjunctival injec ... Full text Link to item Cite

Neuro-Ophthalmic Manifestations of Intracranial Malignancies.

Journal Article J Neuroophthalmol · September 2020 BACKGROUND: To describe the various neuro-ophthalmic presentations, key exam features, and clinical findings associated with 5 common primary and secondary intracranial malignancies. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Retrospective PubMed search and review of published ... Full text Link to item Cite

Outcomes After Müller Muscle Conjunctival Resection Versus External Levator Advancement in Severe Involutional Blepharoptosis.

Journal Article Am J Ophthalmol · September 2020 PURPOSE: To compare outcomes between Müller muscle conjunctival resection (MMCR) ptosis repair and external levator resection (ELR) in patients with severe involutional blepharoptosis. DESIGN: Retrospective, interventional, comparative case series. METHODS ... Full text Link to item Cite

Bilateral uveitis associated with nivolumab therapy for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer

Journal Article American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports · June 1, 2020 Purpose: To report a case of bilateral uveitis secondary to intravenous nivolumab therapy in a patient with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer. Observations: A 53-year-old male with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer presented with gradual onset of blurr ... Full text Cite

Sudden-onset diplopia after LeFort I advancement.

Journal Article Can J Ophthalmol · April 2020 Full text Link to item Cite

Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of the Orbit in an 8-Month Old.

Conference Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg · 2020 Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is a mesenchymal neoplasm, commonly seen in the lung and abdominopelvic region of children. The authors present an 8-month-old female with a 2-month history of left-sided proptosis. Examination was significant for left-si ... Full text Link to item Cite

Upper Blepharoplasty and Browplasty

Chapter · January 1, 2020 Cosmetic rejuvenation of the periocular area can include incisional and non-incisional procedures. Although the use of non-incisional procedures, including botulinum toxin , dermal fillers , and skin resurfacing, has gained in popularity, the oculoplastic ... Full text Cite

Complications of Intrathecal Chemotherapy in Adults: Single-Institution Experience in 109 Consecutive Patients.

Journal Article J Oncol · 2019 Acute lymphoblastic leukemia and other aggressive lymphoid malignancies like Burkitt leukemia/lymphoma have high incidence of central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Various solid tumors, most notably breast cancer, can also metastasize into the CNS as a ... Full text Link to item Cite

Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cells Restore Endothelial Function in Heart Failure by Stimulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells.

Journal Article EBioMedicine · May 2015 BACKGROUND: Endothelial dysfunction, characterized by diminished endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) function and flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD), is a clinically significant feature of heart failure (HF). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which have pro-angio ... Full text Link to item Cite