Behind Trending Videos of Babies With Taped Eyelids in China: What Is BPES?

Viral clips appearing on different social media platforms have sparked a wave of confusion and concern. Parents are lifting the eyelids of their babies with a tape. While the imagery has been widely criticised as an extreme manifestation of beauty standards, the trend has brought a rare genetic condition known as BPES into the global spotlight.

But what exactly is BPES, and does taping their babies' eyelids really help with this rare condition? Here's everything you need to know.

Babies With Taped Eyelids Videos

Several videos online show parents taping their babies' eyelids upwards — forcing their small eyes open using different types of tape, ranging from household varieties to medical ones. The videos were reportedly from China. Upon encountering these clips, many people assume the practice is done purely for aesthetic purposes, but that is not the case.

Social media content creator Davidjustinn Shorts shed light on the trend. He set the record straight and said that taping the eyelids was done due to a rare condition.

He said, 'It looks like it's because of how their eyes are shaped, but that's not it. Some babies are born with a rare condition called BPES, where their eyelids can't fully open on their own.

Adding, 'if it's not treated as a baby, their vision can be affected and their eyes may never fully open.' He also said that parents 'gently lift the eyelid until it can be properly treated.'

The surge in these videos has highlighted a desperate attempt by parents to manage the condition at home. For children with severe ptosis, taping the lids upward is sometimes used as a temporary measure to allow the child to see.

What Is BPES?

BPES, or Blepharophimosis, Ptosis, and Epicanthus Inversus Syndrome, is a rare congenital disorder that affects the development of the eyelids.

Research indicates the condition occurs in approximately 1 in every 50,000 births and is primarily caused by a mutation in the FOXL2 gene, which provides instructions for the muscles responsible for eyelid movement.

Children born with the syndrome typically present with four distinct features: an unusually narrow horizontal eye opening, drooping upper lids, an upward skin fold on the lower eyelid, and widely spaced eyes.

Beyond the aesthetic differences, the condition poses a significant functional threat. If the upper lid covers the pupil, it can lead to amblyopia, commonly known as 'lazy eye,' or permanent vision loss if the brain does not receive clear visual input during critical development stages.

In a video posted by Eagle Aesthetics & Surgery, Dr Stephanie Young, a senior consultant oculoplastic surgeon. She explained that attributing BPES with race are uninformed and inaccurate. She said, 'what you're looking at is not an ethnic trait or an exotic facial feature but a rare genetic condition that affects the development of the eyelids from birth.'

Treatment for BPES

In terms of treatment, while the videos may suggest a quick fix, medical professionals emphasise that taping is not a cure for BPES.

Dr Young said that BPES is 'certainly not something that should be fixed with household tape.' She added that constant taping of the eyes, 'can lead to chronic inflammation, scarring, and most importantly, exposure keratopathy. If the eyelid cannot blink or close, the cornea can dry out and ulcerate.'

The standard clinical treatment involves a multi-stage surgical approach, usually performed when the child is between three and five years old. These procedures aim to widen the eye opening and tighten the levator muscles that lift the eyelid.

'Specialized oculoplastic surgery is required to safely enlarge the eye opening for a long-term solution,' she said.