Drooping eyelids, a condition also known as ptosis, can have a variety of causes. While sometimes it can clear up on its own, other times it requires medical treatment or surgery to correct. Specifically, eyelid ptosis repair is the procedure typically performed to correct drooping eyelids and ptosis.
It is important to note that eyelid blepharoplasty is a distinct cosmetic procedure in which excess tissue around the eye is removed to reduce the look of puffiness and sagging. Correcting ptosis is a much more delicate procedure that involves repositioning the eyelid, and should only be done by an experienced, board-certified oculoplastic surgeon like Dr. Robert M. Schwarcz. While eyelid ptosis repair can help improve the appearance of your eyes, it is primarily performed as reconstructive surgery to improve impaired function.
Symptoms of Eyelid Ptosis
The most obvious sign of ptosis is involuntary sagging of the eyelids. This can lead to dry, watery, and/or sore eyes as the patient struggles to focus properly. It can affect one or both eyelids.
In severe cases, ptosis can interfere with vision enough to make driving and other everyday tasks difficult. A patient suffering from ptosis may tend to tilt his or her head back in an attempt to see out of the partly obscured eye.
Ptosis can be diagnosed by examination of the eye. It may be necessary to dilate the pupil and examine the eye with a high-intensity lamp to help determine the cause, which can result in some discomfort.
What Causes Drooping Eyelids?
Ptosis can be caused by an infection to the eye, such as a sty, in which case it can usually be cleared up without surgery. It can also be caused as a side effect of a cataract or LASIK surgery on the eyes. In these sort of operations, a clamp is used to hold the eyes open, and in very rare cases it can stretch out the muscles and tendons that support the eyelid. Hard contact lenses can also cause the same sort of stretching.
In more serious cases, ptosis can be a sign of a stroke or cancer in the brain or face. It can also be a side effect of diseases that attack the facial nerves, such as myasthenia gravis.