Eyelid drooping, a disease that can occur both congenitally and later, can develop in one or both eyes. If the color of the eye is covered more than 1 mm by the eyelid, this is considered a droopy eyelid. Although droopy eyelids may indicate the presence of other problems, sometimes it is only related to this region.
This situation, which creates an aesthetically unpleasant appearance, can affect visual functions if it progresses. Since the healthy eyelid is of great importance for the health of the eye, it should be treated in a timely manner.
The most basic symptom of drooping eyelids is the sudden appearance of the eyelid slightly lower than normal or drooping.
Insufficient strength of the eyelid muscles during development in the mother's womb is considered to be the main cause of congenital ptosis. If the droopy eyelid develops later, the reason is the damage or weakening of the muscles holding the eyelid due to different reasons. This is usually due to the impact. Other reasons are the side effects of some drugs used in the treatment of old age and eye diseases. In addition to all these, long-term use of contact lenses and the formation of masses in the upper eyelid can also cause droopy eyelids.
The most basic symptom of drooping eyelids is that the eyelids of one or both eyes are slightly lower than normal or drooping. The sagging in question can be serious enough to be noticed from a distance, or it can sometimes be so small that it can be noticed when viewed up close. When the disease occurs in both eyes, it is usually more difficult to detect. Ptosis in one eye can be noticed much more easily. The most common symptoms of ptosis are:
It is also possible to develop lazy eye due to decreased vision. If droopy eyelid occurs in childhood, this increases the risk of developing lazy eye. On the other hand, movements such as eyebrow lifting to provide a better vision can create wrinkles on the forehead. Therefore, the treatment should be planned quickly so that the disease does not cause more serious symptoms and aesthetic problems as soon as it is noticed.
Physical examination is usually sufficient for the diagnosis of droopy eyelids. If the drooping of the eyelid is not continuous and recurs from time to time, the patient's history is listened to and issues such as how often and for how long the drooping occurred are investigated. Other diagnostic methods that can be applied in droopy eyelids are:
After determining the cause of drooping eyelids through the methods mentioned above, the necessary treatment process can be planned.
The causes of droopy eyelids are decisive in the treatment method. The following factors are taken into account when determining the treatment method:
In some cases, droopy eyelids are temporary and do not affect vision too much. In such cases, the disease can be expected to pass without the need for any intervention. However, the condition of the eyelid should be followed up with intermittent doctor checks. Two different treatment methods that can be applied in this process are as follows:
If these treatment methods do not work or if the problem cannot be solved with these treatment methods, then surgical intervention is applied. Surgical intervention involves removing excess tissue from the eyelid or strengthening the muscles holding the eyelids. If the age of the patients is advanced and there is no suitable situation for surgical intervention, then the use of glasses may be recommended instead of surgical intervention.
The use of glasses usually does not provide a permanent solution for patients. Therefore, surgical intervention is a must in cases where the sagging is very advanced and the vision of the patients is severely affected. Local anesthesia is sufficient for droopy eyelid surgery, which is an outpatient operation. After the droopy eyelid operation, which takes a short time and is considered simple, patients can be discharged on the same day if there is no complication.
