This causes one or both eyelids to droop down more so towards the end of the day or when one is tired. This may cause difficulties in seeing clearly or may be cosmetically unacceptable. Ptosis may be age related, could be the effect of wearing contact lenses, especially the RGP contact lenses or could be related to muscle or nerve problems.
Ptosis (droopy eyelid) can be corrected by surgery after making sure that there is no underlying problem that needs addressing. It is performed under local anaesthesia, with the patient being awake for the operation and on a day case basis, i.e one does not need to stay in the hospital overnight.
There are two main ways in which I correct the ptosis, either by opening the eyelid via a skin crease incision (so the scar is well hidden within the skin crease) or via an incision on the under surface of the eyelid, by flipping the eyelid over. The muscle is then repositioned or tightened so as to lift the eyelid to the required height.
Sometimes, if the function (or disinsertion) of the levator muscle (the muscle that opens the eye) is very poor, a sling operation may be required, where the forehead muscle is used to transmit its movement to the eyelid via a sling.
Ptosis occurs in children too and it is often congenital i.e present from birth. In children often the muscle itself is weak and fibrotic as opposed to a normal but slipped muscle in an adult. The surgical procedure is still very similar to that in an adult, but needs to be performed under a general anaesthetic, when the child is put to sleep for the duration for the operation.
There are risks in any surgical intervention ranging from infection, bleeding and scaring to more specific risks of over or under correction of the eyelid height, there may be a mismatch in the contour or the symmetry of the two eyelids, and the result may not entirely match the patients expectations, but these risks are extremely rare and almost all patients are very satisfied with the outcome of their surgery.
Please do bring an old closeup photograph of you in your youth, to help me understand what your eyelid, eyebrow as well as facial and peri-ocular structure was like previously to help plan your surgery.
https://www.bopss.co.uk/public-information/common-conditions/ptosis-drooping-of-the-upper-eyelid/
It’s natural to feel anxious when it comes to treatment and surgical procedures especially in relation to your eyes. I encourage you to ask questions about your condition, so I can help you to be better informed of your condition, the treatment options available and allay any fears that you may have. During the consultation I will explain the procedures to you and help you to make positive choices, and remember there is always the option of doing nothing, so you have nothing to worry about.
