What Is Ptosis?

Ptosis is a permanent drooping of the upper eyelid. It can cause headaches, brow aches, eye irritation, and can obscure part of your vision.

What Causes Ptosis?

Ptosis is caused by the inability of one of the eyelid’s muscles, called the levator, to fully lift the eyelid. Some children are born with a drooping eyelid, but in most adults, it develops after surgery, or due to diabetes, kidney disease, or allergies. Also it can result from an eyelid tumor. Most commonly, however, ptosis develops as the eyelid tissue ages and the muscle weakens.

What Can Be Done For It?

Most ptosis problems are corrected by a surgical procedure. This tightens the levator muscle by shortening it slightly so it will lift the eyelid. After an examination, your doctor will be able to advise you about what results you can expect.

The surgical procedure is brief, and is performed under local anesthetic on an out-patient basis. Once it has healed, the tiny scars are almost invisible. After surgery, the eyelid may feel tight, but this is only temporary. There may be come swelling or bruising, but this is also very temporary.

Will Insurance Pay For It?

If the ptosis obscures part of the vision, your insurance may cover all or part of the charges. We will verify this as part of your exam and check with your insurance company.