Ptosis Droopy Eyelid
Ptosis Droopy Eyelid
Functional Ptosis
A functional ptosis is caused by too much upper eyelid skin and prolapsed fat that can weigh down the upper eyelid and causes it to droop, or when the specialized muscle that raises the eyelid becomes stretched or detached it allows the upper eyelid to maintain a lower position. Patients with this problem may have a strong contraction of their eyebrow muscles, giving them furrow lines and causing fatigue over the course of a day. Patients with this condition may appear chronically tired or angry. Functional ptosis can impair the upper and peripheral visual field and so we might take photographs and perform a visual field test to determine whether the droopy eyelid is interfering with vision. For patients who are good candidates, ptosis can often be corrected with an eye surgery procedure using a same-day outpatient surgical technique.
Congenital Ptosis
A congenital ptosis is a droopy lid that is present at birth, usually because the eyelid muscle that elevates the eyelid has not developed well, and might be associated with other eye problems including misdirected or misaligned eye muscles. In many instances, the eyelid muscle that elevates the eyelid does not develop well. A congenital ptosis can block the images to the child’s eye and impair the development of that eye and normal vision, and often the child may maintain an abnormal head posture with the head tilted backward in an attempt to see underneath the droopy eyelids. The eyelid surgery for correction of congenital ptosis may range from a simple tightening of the upper eyelid muscle if it has good function to even utilizing the brow muscles to elevate the eyelid. There are several ways of accomplishing this goal including the use of specialized materials and grafting techniques.