A drooping eyelid can stay constant, worsen over time (be progressive), or come and go (be intermittent). The expected outcome depends on the cause of the ptosis. In most cases, surgery is very successful in restoring appearance and function. In children, more severe drooping eyelids may lead to lazy eye or amblyopia.
In some cases, a droopy eyelid may resolve spontaneously. If ptosis is present but not causing any functional problems, a person may not need any treatment at all. Treatment options depend on what is causing the droopy eyelid, how it is affecting the person, and the person's age.
A droopy eyelid can last from several weeks to several months or until Botox wears off. Patients usually notice the first signs of this side effect within the first week.
Adults get ptosis – called involutional ptosis – when the levator muscle stretches and separates from the eyelid. This can be caused by aging, as a result of an eye injury, or sometimes as a side effect of certain eye surgery. Occasionally other diseases can affect the eyelid muscle, causing ptosis.
If you suddenly develop a drooping eyelid, you should contact your doctor. Because the involved eyelid may sag to the extent that it covers the pupil of the eye, it may interfere with normal vision by obscuring the upper aspect of the field of vision.
To help prevent baggy eyelids, keep your skin well-hydrated by drinking plenty of water, moisturize your eyelids and always apply sunscreen even on cloudy days.
Lack of sleep can cause droopy eyelids because, frankly, your eyes are exhausted. When you sleep, it allows the levator muscles to rest and recharge so they're able to keep your eyes open the next day. If proper rest isn't achieved, the levator muscles become fatigued — just like any other muscle — and weaken.
In adults blepharoptosis is usually caused by aging, eye surgery, or disease affecting the levator muscle or its nerve. In both children and adults, blepharoptosis can be corrected with surgery.
During blepharoplasty, the surgeon cuts into the creases of the eyelids to trim sagging skin and muscle and remove excess fat. The surgeon rejoins the skin with tiny dissolving stitches. Blepharoplasty (BLEF-uh-roe-plas-tee) is a type of surgery that removes excess skin from the eyelids.
You're born with it, but symptoms might not show up until after age 40. Both eyelids might sag. You might not be able to see very well, and tongue and throat problems may make it hard to eat. Surgery can help fix your ptosis.
Apply a pale eye shadow to your upper eyelids and along the roots of your lower lashes. Warning: if you have deep wrinkles, dark circles or bags under your eyes, it's best to apply makeup only on your upper eyelid. Next, use a slightly darker shade (like medium brown) to sculpt your eye creases.
Although there is no evidence that exercises for droopy eyelids actually work, some people believe that exercising the muscles of the face can strengthen and tighten them. If droopy eyelids are obscuring vision or having a negative effect on a person, they should consult their doctor.
When ptosis affects one lid, vision in that eye may be weaker, and that can lead to amblyopia — also called “lazy eye.” In some cases, the pressure of the lid may lead to corneal damage, double vision (diplopia), crossed eyes (strabismus), or refractive vision problems, like astigmatism.
Prolonged strain on the jaw creates an overactive strain on connected other parts of the face, including the eye, which can sometimes result in acquired ptosis as well. Digital eye strain is also a potential cause.
Most ptosis just happens with aging. As a person ages, the skin and muscles of the eyelids stretch and weaken. Sometimes, previous eye surgery speeds up this change because the instruments used to keep the eye open during surgery can stretch the eyelid.
The most obvious sign of ptosis is a drooping eyelid. Another sign is when the upper eyelid creases do not line up evenly with each other. A child with ptosis may tip their head back, lift up their chin, or raise their eyebrows to try to see better. Over time, these movements can cause head and neck problems.
Sleep deprivation is thus readily observable from a set of facial cues. It seems that many of the colloquial cues, such as droopy/hanging eyelids, red eyes, dark circles under the eyes, and pale skin, are indicative of both sleep deprivation and looking fatigued.
Sudden eyelid drooping (ptosis) is a possible sign of a stroke. Depending on the location of the stroke, one or both eyelids can be affected. If a stroke is the cause of eyelid drooping, other symptoms will often be present, such as one-sided weakness or blurry vision.
These include Botox, dermal fillers, radio frequency and laser treatments. Botox and filler injections, for example, may help you raise your brows and achieve more prominent eyes. Radiofrequency and laser procedures can also be used to lift and tighten the skin around the eyes and improve their appearance.
What causes hooded eyes? Hooded eyes or droopy eyelids happen when excess skin folds down from the brow bone to the lash line, which makes the eyes look smaller and gives you a tired or aged appearance. Hooded eyes can appear due to a genetic predisposition or due to natural ageing changing our face.
How much does eyelid surgery cost? The average cost of cosmetic eyelid surgery is $4,120, according to the most recent statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.