Causes and treatment of ptosis of the upper eyelid

The omission of various parts of the skin of the face occurs due to age-related changes. You can help solve this problem with the help of special procedures for lifting and correcting the shape of the face. But there are problems with the omission of various parts of the skin that occur for a number of reasons that do not depend on age. One such problem is ptosis of the upper eyelid. Today, the editors of Estet-portal will tell you what exactly is the cause of this problem and what methods of solving it are known to modern medicine.

Causes of ptosis of the upper eyelid

Ptosis of the upper eyelid – this is the drooping of the eyelid below the line of the iris by about 2 mm. There are many causes of ptosis of the upper eyelid. Among them, there are several main ones:

1. Congenital ptosis may occur due to underdevelopment or absence of the muscle that holds the eyelid.
2. Acquired ptosis –  may be due to previous diseases that affect the optic nerve and muscle.

Acquired ptosis can be caused by age-related changes, which also lead to a weakening of the muscle that holds the eyelid. Varieties of ptosis of the upper eyelid There are several varieties of ptosis of the upper eyelid:

1. Single-sided or double-sided.
2. Congenital or acquired.
3. Complete or incomplete.

Doctors classify the type of ptosis according to its severity:

1. The eyelid covers only the upper third of the pupil;
2. The eyelid covers 2/3 of the pupil;
3. The eyelid covers the pupil completely.

A large degree of ptosis leads to deterioration of vision and can lead to its complete loss. Usually people with pronounced ptosis try to tilt their heads back or raise their eyebrows sharply in order to tighten their eyelids and see better.

Manifestations of ptosis of the upper eyelid

The degree of drooping of the eyelid can vary from person to person, and ptosis can also be accompanied by other manifestations. Among other manifestations of ptosis, there are:

• eye fatigue;
• inability to fully close eyes;
• feeling that everything is doubled;
• severe mucosal irritation;
• strabismus.

It is also worth noting that constantly tilting your head back can lead to neck problems.

Upper eyelid ptosis diagnosis

Only an ophthalmologist can make a complete diagnosis of ptosis of the upper eyelid. He must determine the cause of the appearance of this disease in order to prescribe treatment. Therefore, the doctor examines the degree of prolapse, the work of the muscles, the presence of concomitant vision problems. This is necessary in order to determine acquired or congenital ptosis, since the choice of a method for its correction depends on this. Indeed, for each type of ptosis of the upper eyelid, its own set of therapeutic and preventive procedures is carried out.

Treatment of ptosis of the upper eyelid

In any case, a surgical method is used to treat ptosis of the upper eyelid. So, with congenital ptosis, during the operation, the muscle that holds the eyelid is shortened, and with acquired – shorten only the aponeurosis of the muscle.

Upper eyelid ptosis surgery

Ptosis correction surgery can be performed under general or local anesthesia. It depends on the degree of ptosis. This operation lasts an average of half an hour to an hour. During the operation of acquired ptosis, a thin strip of skin on the upper eyelid is removed and the eye septum is cut. Then cut and shorten the aponeurosis of the muscle that holds the eyelid. After that, the shortened aponeurosis is sutured a little lower to the cartilage of the eyelid.

A cosmetic suture is applied over the incision. When correcting congenital ptosis, a thin line of skin is also removed and the orbital septum is carefully cut. Then the muscle is lifted and stitches are placed on it for shortening. With a strong degree of severity of congenital ptosis, this muscle is sutured to the frontal.

At the same time as this operation, an eyelid lift can also be performed. Postoperative edema disappears after ten days, and the aesthetic result remains until the end of life.

Ptosis of the upper eyelid – this is a problem that worries a lot of people. Therefore, do not put off going to a specialist. After all, timely assistance always helps to cope with the problem faster. The editors of Estet-portal sincerely hope that our material will be useful to you. Perhaps you would like to know something else about this problem or share your personal experience, then feel free to write to us. We always welcome your comments.