Ptosis Repair

Acquired Ptosis - "Upper Eyelid Drooping"

Droopy eyelids (ptosis) occurs when the edge of the upper eyelid that contains the lashes falls too low. When the edge of the eyelid falls and covers part of the pupil, it blocks the upper part of your vision. In severe cases it is necessary to tilt one's head back or lift the eyelid with a finger in order to see out from under the drooping lid .

In most cases, a drooping upper eyelid results from aging of previously normal structures. Typically, the tendon that attaches the "lifting" muscle to the eyelid stretches and the eyelid falls too low.

Since the muscle that lifts the eyelid has normal strength, surgical correction of a drooping upper eyelid that was once normal involves repairing the stretched tendon. It is not uncommon for one to develop a droopy upper eyelid following cataract surgery. The cataract surgery is apparently the "last straw" that causes a weak tendon to finally give way.

Surgery to repair ptosis is most commonly performed by ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgeons who specialize in disease and conditions affecting the eyelids, lacrimal (tear) system, the orbit (bone cavity around the eye), and adjacent facial structures.