Ptosis
Ptosis is when the upper eyelid droops over the eye.
Ptosis:
What is Ptosis?
The drooping of your upper eyelid is known medically as ptosis. It is possible for youngsters as well as adults to be affected by it. It’s possible that your eyelid will droop just a little bit, or it could drop so much that it covers your entire pupil (the hole in the coloured part of your eye). It is possible that one or both of your eyes will be affected.
Symptoms of Ptosis:
The most obvious sign is a drooping eyelid
The most obvious sign is a drooping eyelid
Depending on how severely your eyelid droops, you may even have difficulty seeing
Sometimes children may tilt their heads back or raise their eyebrows repeatedly to try and see under the eyelids
You may want to compare photographs from ten years earlier to see if you are looking sleepy or tired now
Causes of Ptosis
Ptosis may be caused by weakness of the muscles that raise your eyelid or damage to the nerves that control the muscles or the looseness of the eyelid skin.
Ptosis may be present at birth (called congenital ptosis). Or it may develop due to the normal aging process.
The most common cause in adults is a separation or stretching of the main muscle that pulls up the eyelid. It can be an after effect of an eye surgery like cataract or an injury.
An eye tumor, diabetes or neurological disorders like stroke, myasthenia gravis, and Horner syndrome are other causes.
Complications of Ptosis
An uncorrected drooping eyelid can lead to amblyopia (loss of vision in that eye)
An abnormal eyelid position can have negative psychological effects like poor self-esteem and alienation especially in teenagers and young children.
You may have headaches due to tension in your forehead muscles.
Decreased vision can affect your daily activities especially driving, using a flight of stairs etc.
Tests for Ptosis
Your doctor will do a physical examination to identify the cause. Special tests may be done for diabetes, myasthenia gravis, thyroid problems etc. These may include CT scans or MRI of the brain, MR Angiography, etc.
Treatment for Ptosis
If there is an underlying disease that is causing the ptosis, then treatment that is particular to that disease will be administered.
You have the option of not undergoing surgery by having glasses fabricated for you that have an attachment on them known as a crutch. This support can be used to assist hold your eyelid in place.
Ptosis can be corrected surgically if it causes vision problems or if you want to correct the condition for cosmetic reasons. Blepharoplasty is the medical term for eyelid surgery.
In ptosis surgery, the muscle that lifts the eyelid is contracted in order to raise the eyelid.
In extreme circumstances, when a muscle known as the levator is exceedingly weak, a sling procedure may be performed. This treatment will enable the muscles in your forehead to lift your eyelids, alleviating the condition.