Treat Droopy Eyelids

Droopy eyelids, also known as ptosis, may be a cosmetic issue or even impair your vision. If you have droopy eyelids, the first thing you should do is schedule an appointment with your doctor. The treatment for ptosis depends on your diagnosis as well as on the severity of your condition. Learning more about the condition and its treatment may make it easier for you to discuss your options with your doctor.

Steps

Treating Droopy Eye

  1. Get a diagnosis. Before you can treat droopy eye, you need to get a diagnosis from a medical professional. Because droopy eyelids can be a sign of serious medical conditions, you should seek medical attention promptly. Your doctor should get a complete medical history and perform a physical exam to rule out serious neurological problems, infections, autoimmune disorders, and other diseases. Some other things that your doctor may do to find a diagnosis for your droopy eyelids include:
    • an eye exam to test visual acuity
    • a slit lamp test to check for corneal abrasions or scratches
    • a tension test to check for myasthenia gravis, a chronic autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness[1]
  2. Get treated for any underlying conditions. If your droopy eyelids have been caused by an underlying condition, then you will need to get treated for that condition before doing anything about your droopy eyelids. Treating an underlying condition may also help to improve your droopy eyelids.
    • For example, if you have been diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, your doctor may prescribe various medications to treat the condition, including physostigmine, neostigmine, prednisone, and immunomodulators.[1]
    • Other conditions that may cause droopy eyelids include third nerve palsy and Horner's Syndrome. There are no treatments for these disorders, although surgery may help relieve symptoms of third nerve palsy.[2][3]
  3. Ask your doctor about surgery to correct droopy eye. At present, there are no home remedies that are proven to treat droopy eye. Surgery is the only sure fix.[4] The surgical procedure used to correct droopy eye is called a Blepharoplasty. During this procedure, the surgeon will remove any excess skin, remove excess fat pads, and tighten the skin on your eyelids.[5] The procedure includes:
    • Before the surgery begins, your surgeon will administer a general anesthetic to numb the upper and lower eyelid area. Once the area is numb, your surgeon will make an incision in your eyelid crease. Next, your surgeon will use some gentle suction to remove any excess fat. The your surgeon will remove any excess skin and then reconnect your eyelid skin with dissolvable sutures.[6]
    • The whole surgery takes about 2 hours and patients may often go home the same day.
    • Following the surgery, your surgeon will bandage your eyelids to ensure proper healing and protection. You will need to follow your doctor’s instructions to clean and care for your wounds following the surgery. It will be about a week before you can remove the bandages.
    • Your doctor may also prescribe some eye drops and pain medication so that you are more comfortable as you recover.[7]
  4. Seek emergency medical attention if necessary. In some situations, eyelid drooping may indicate a much more serious problem that may require immediate treatment. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following symptoms:[8]
    • Eye Pain
    • Headache
    • Vision changes
    • Paralysis of face
    • Nausea or vomiting

Understanding Ptosis

  1. Learn about eyelid function. Eyelids provide external protection for your eyes, but they also serve other important purposes. When you suffer from ptosis, you may find that your eyelids do not perform these functions as well as they used to. The functions of your eyelids include:[9]
    • protecting your eyes from harmful elements, such as dust, debris, harsh light, and others
    • lubricating and hydrating your eyes by spreading tears over the surface of your eyes when you blink
    • eliminating irritants by producing excess tears as needed
  2. Understand the anatomy of your eyelids. Your eyelids have muscles allow you to open and close your eyelids. You also have fat pads in your eyelids that get larger as you age. The aspects of your eyelid anatomy that are affected by ptosis include:[10]
    • Orbicularis oculi. This muscle surrounds your eyes and you use it to make facial expressions. It also connects to several other muscles.
    • Levator palpebrae superioris. This muscle allows you to lift your upper eyelids.
    • Fat pads. These pads are located in the crease of your upper eyelids.
  3. Recognize the symptoms of ptosis. Ptosis is the medical name for a drooping eyelid or drooping eyelids. The severity of ptosis can vary from person to person, but sufferers may experience other symptoms in addition to excess skin around the eyelids. Symptoms may include:[11]
    • Visible eyelid drooping
    • Increased eye tearing
    • Visual disturbances
  4. Consider the potential causes of ptosis. Ptosis is due to the general loss of elasticity of the muscles of the eyes and can be due to a wide variety of factors and conditions. Knowing what has caused your eyelids to droop will help your doctor determine the right course of treatment, which is why it is so important to get a diagnosis from your doctor. Some possible causes of ptosis include:[12]
    • age
    • genetics or congenital malformations[12]
    • lazy eye[13]
    • dehydration caused by drug, alcohol, and/or tobacco use
    • an allergic reaction
    • Infections of the eyelid, such as a stye, or infections of the eye, such as bacterial conjunctivitis
    • Bell's palsy
    • a stroke
    • Lyme disease[14]
    • Myasthenia Gravis[15]
    • Horner's syndrome[16]

Tips

  • Try using a daily eye cream to help keep your eyelids moisturized. Just keep in mind that using creams and other cosmetic remedies have not been shown to be effective for treating droopy eyelids.
  • If you often feel fatigue in addition to your eyes drooping, ask your doctor about myasthenia gravis. Fatigue is a hallmark symptom of this disease.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/myasthenia_gravis/detail_myasthenia_gravis.htm
  2. ↑ http://www.aapos.org/terms/conditions/104
  3. ↑ http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1220091-overview#a10
  4. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/tc/drooping-eyelids-description
  5. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/blepharoplasty/basics/definition/prc-20020042
  6. ↑ http://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/eyelid-surgery.html?sub=Eyelid+surgery+procedure+steps#content
  7. ↑ http://www.aafprs.org/patient/procedures/blepharoplasty.html
  8. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/tc/drooping-eyelids-when-to-call-a-health-professional
  9. ↑ http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/834932-overview#a1
  10. ↑ http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/834932-overview#a1
  11. ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001018.htm
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 http://www.aapos.org/terms/conditions/90
  13. ↑ http://www.asoprs.org/files/public/InfoPtosis.pdf
  14. ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/
  15. ↑ http://www.myasthenia.org
  16. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/horner-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20034650
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