#droopy lids

Ptosis of the Eyelid (droopy lids)

Ptosis (“toe”-sis) is the medical term for a drooping eyelid. It refers only to the upper eyelid position (not the skin on the eyelid), and, if severe enough, ptosis can affect the upper field of vision. Ptosis does not cause blurry vision or difficulty reading an eye chart — but it definitely makes people look tired, unbalanced, or worn out. Dr. Chandler is an expert in diagnosing and, if necessary, surgically repairing the eyelid(s) to counter the drooping of ptosis. ptosis plastic surgery

Causes of Eyelid Ptosis

By far the most common cause of ptosis is a weak eyelid muscle due to aging. The vast majority of the Ptosis cases that Dr. Chandler sees are as a result of aging or stretching out of the upper eyelid muscles (or from trauma, long-term contact lens wear, prior eyelid surgery, history of a severe black eye, and many other possibilities). But the cause of a drooping eyelid isn’t always obvious. This is because the position of the upper eyelid involves the muscles, nerves, and skin of the eyelid along with the position of the eyebrows. How alert, awake, or impaired you are also can affect the openness of the eyelids as well. We all know that eyelids droop when we are really tired, drunk, or under the effects of drugs (like anesthesia or marijuana).

The muscles that primarily open the eyes are called levator muscles (think elevator); they allow the eyelids to move up. They can weaken with age or due to injury. Nerve damage can also lead to ptosis. One possible cause of nerve damage in the face and eye area is called Horner’s syndrome. Stroke and other brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and lung cancer can lead to Horner’s syndrome and also affect the size of the pupil.

Other causes of Ptosis include other neurologic conditions such as myasthenia gravis. Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease that affects the way the muscles and the nerves communicate. If any of these rare causes are suspected, Dr. Chandler will refer to an expert neurologist. Again, the most common cause of Ptosis is the weakness of the eyelid muscles as we age.

Diagnosing Eyelid Ptosis

Even though the symptoms of ptosis are pretty straightforward — drooping of the upper eyelid — diagnosis requires true expertise since there are so many causes, variables, and possible associated conditions. There is nothing simple or easy about diagnosing or fixing Ptosis.