
Drooping eyelid is a medical condition that is called ptosis. It can affect one or both the eyes and may cause severe vision problems. The following article will help you understand this condition better.
The excessive sagging of the upper eyelid is called drooping eyelid or ptosis. This is a common eye problem, wherein the eyelid droops slightly or in severe cases cover the entire pupil leading to vision problems. It can occur in both adults and children. Many people often get confused between this condition and a baggy eyelid. In case of a baggy eyelid, there is excess skin and fat present under the eye.
Causes
There are many causes that lead to this condition, and some of them are listed below:
Congenital Ptosis
Congenital ptosis occurs by birth or it can be diagnosed within the first year of life. It occurs due to poor development of the levator muscle that is responsible for lifting the upper eyelid. In most of the cases, only one eye is affected with congenital ptosis. Doctors may perform a surgery if this condition causes vision problems.
Aponeurotic Ptosis
Aging is one of the main causes. The tissues that help the levator muscle lift the eyelid stretch and become weak due to the aging process. Thus, this condition tends to worsen with age, especially in one eye.
Nerve Disorder
Damage to the 3rd cranial nerve that controls the levator muscle in the eye can cause your eyelids to droop. This damage may indicate diabetes mellitus, brain tumor, or muscle weakness like myasthenia gravis. Other eye problems like infections, eye tumor, a blow to the eye, or exposure to snake venom especially the black mamba snake can cause this condition.
Drugs
High dose of opioid drugs like oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, etc., can cause droopy eyelids. In some cases, diacetylmorphine (heroin) abuse may also lead to drooping eyelids.
Muscle Disorders
A muscle disease called oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy affects the motion of the eyes. It also causes difficulty in swallowing. This condition may be one of the contributing factors for droopy eylids. Progressive external opthalmoplegia, a muscular illness in young people, causes ptosis in both the eyes.
Symptoms
The first symptom which is observed is drooping of the eyelid. Severe drooping makes it difficult to see. A few people tend to tilt their heads backward in order to see properly. A few may raise their eyebrows again and again to be able to see clearly.
Treatment
Treatment includes the use of scleral contact lens that helps in managing the sagging eyelid. If ptosis is caused due to some other disorder such as eye tumor, then the disorder is treated first. One of the most effective treatment options is surgery. In severe cases, surgery helps in improving the vision problems. In this surgery called blepharoplasty, the weak levator muscles under the eyelid are attached to the eyebrow.
This helps in supporting the levator muscles while lifting the eyelid. In many cases the level of the eyelid may not be symmetrical; however, you may be able to see more clearly. The surgery procedures include levator resection, müller muscle resection, and frontalis sling operation. Your ophthalmologist will recommend you a procedure according to your condition.
There are many drooping exercises that help in strengthening and toning the eye muscles. These eye exercises also help in tightening the skin around the eye. These exercises will also help in reducing the appearance of droopy eyelids. You can speak to your doctor about your eye problem and find the best suitable way to help correct your droopy eyelid problem.
Disclaimer: This HealthHearty article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.