University of São Paulo: Drooping of the upper eyelid of the eyes is a disease that can be congenital or acquired

Eyelid ptosis is a medical term used to indicate the drooping of the upper eyelid, the skin over the eyes. It is an eye disease, also known as droopy eyelid, and occurs both congenitally and can be acquired throughout life. At first, it may seem like just an aesthetic problem, but it goes far beyond that, because there is a risk of causing vision loss.

Ophthalmologist Antônio Augusto Velasco Cruz, professor at the Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery at USP’s Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine (FMRP), makes it clear that this is not excess skin. The disease is related to the muscle that lifts the nerves and can occur bilaterally – in both eyes – or unilaterally, only in one of them.

The professor also clarifies what is acquired ptosis, the one that arrives over the years, and that can occur for various reasons and situations.

heaviness
Drooping eyelids give the feeling of heaviness over the eyes, eye strain, low vision because of the shadow in the visual field. The use of lenses, allergies or even neurological issues can also lead to the fall of this skin over the eye.

The treatment of droopy eyelid is done surgically. There are several surgical techniques indicated, according to the cause. Velasco Cruz explains that botox should never be used, as this method does not solve the case.

The ophthalmologist explains that surgery is often confused with another disease, which also deals with excess skin in the eyes, and explains the difference between ptosis and dermatochalase. On the other hand, recovery from ptosis surgery is very smooth, whether congenital or acquired, requiring only post-surgical care, like any other.