Upper Eyelid Ptosis - Droopy Eyelids

Ptosis is a greek word that means "droopy." Technically speaking, a person can have ptosis of almost anything, but most of the time, when a doctor says "This patient has ptosis," they mean eyelid ptosis.

Eyelid ptosis is due to weakness or slippage of a muscle in the upper eyelid. This muscle, the levator palpebrae superioris, opens the eyelid much like a garage door opener opens a garage.

Since humans blink 15-20 times per minute (up to 28,000 times per day!!) this muscle has a tendency to weaken, or actually slip from it's point of attachment, over time. This condition results in a droopy eyelid. Other causes can accelerate this slippage, such as trauma, a congenitally weak muscle, or eye surgery such as cataract surgery or retina surgery.

Fortunately, ptosis can be corrected. Dr. Vrcek has performed hundreds of ptosis repairs and even advanced the field of ptosis surgery by describing a new minimally invasive way to repair the muscle. This minimally invasive surgery avoids a skin incision and has less downtime and more predictability that many of the other methods of ptosis repair.

Studies have shown that correcting ptosis can improve contrast sensitivity, peripheral vision, and even central visual acuity. If you have a droopy eyelid, your insurance may even cover the repair. If you're interested in learning more, give us a call and we would be happy to see if you are a good candidate for repair!