Drooping Eyelids (Ptosis) in Virginia Beach
At Associates in Plastic Surgery in Virginia Beach, our surgeons can correct Ptosis surgically. This procedure usually involves tightening the levator muscle to elevate the eyelid. In severe ptosis, when the levator muscle is extremely weak, a “sling” operation may be performed, enabling the forehead muscles to elevate the eyelid(s). Other types of repair may include surgery on the muscle on the inside of the lid. Associates in Plastic Surgery surgeons will perform testing to determine the best form of correction for the individual patient. The goal is to elevate the eyelid to permit a full field of vision and to achieve symmetry with the opposite upper eyelid.
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What Causes Ptosis?
Ptosis (pronounced “toe-sis”) is the medical term for drooping of the upper eyelid(s). This lowering of the upper eyelid margin may cause a reduction in the field of vision as the eyelid either partially or completely obstructs the pupil. Patients with ptosis often have difficulty keeping their eyelids open. To compensate, they will often arch their eyebrows in an effort to raise the drooping eyelids. In severe cases, people with ptosis may need to lift their eyelids with their fingers in order to see or tilt their heads up. Children with ptosis may develop amblyopia (“lazy eye”) or a developmental delay from limitation of their vision.
There are many causes of ptosis including age-related weakening of the lifting muscle, congenital weakness, trauma, or sometimes neurologic disease. As we age, the tendon that attaches the levator muscle, the major muscle that lifts the eyelid can stretch and cause the eyelid to fall. This represents the most common cause of a droopy eyelid. Ptosis may also occur following routine Lasik or cataract surgery due to stretching of the muscle or tendon. Children may be born with ptosis or may acquire it due to trauma or neurologic reasons.
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