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Ptosis, a drooping eyelid, is a common eye disease. Surely you have seen more than once a person whose face looks as if it is looking at the world with a grain of salt. Unfortunately, this is usually not a scowl.
The disease can affect both children and adults. Contrary to appearances, this is not only a cosmetic defect. Ptosis can interfere with normal vision or develop into a condition called the lazy eye. The disease can be a congenital defect or a consequence of the aging of the organism or systemic diseases.
Ptosis – symptoms
The most visible symptom of the condition is drooping eyelid. It may affect one or two eyelids. Congenital ptosis can usually be seen after the baby is born as the fold of the upper eyelid appears to be longer than the other eyelid. The defect may also show up in an older child. Then you will notice that the child often touches the eyelid or raises his eyebrows high to see more clearly.
Such behavior of the child proves that the child seeks to see equally clearly with both eyes. It also happens that the child holds its head in an unusual way, which facilitates proper vision. The constant tilting of the head can cause severe neck or neck pain.
Adults who suffer from drooping eyelids usually raise one eyebrow to see better.
Drooping eyelid – causes of the disease
There are many reasons for drooping eyelids – from skin aging, excess skin, poor lighting in the workplace, facial contouring through weakening of the levator eyelid muscle, damage to the oculomotor nerve or nerve nucleus in the brain, to neoplastic changes. If drooping eyelids occur together with the so-called doubled vision may indicate paralysis of the muscles responsible for eye movements or damage to their innervation.
If ptosis occurs together with diplopia, damage to the oculomotor nerve may be suspected. If the narrowing of the eyelid gap is accompanied by a constriction of the pupil and the collapse of the eyeball, you should think about the so-called Horner’s syndrome, i.e. damage to the sympathetic system within the spinal cord, or compression of the sympathetic trunk by, for example, a lung tumor. But it’s also worth remembering that drooping eyelid may be related to diabetes or other related illnesses.
In most cases, ptosis is related to the aging of the body. Already after the age of 25, the amount of collagen fibers decreases, which makes the skin lose its firmness and elasticity. It is most visible in places where the skin is thinnest, e.g. on the eyelids. With time, the muscles responsible for raising the eyebrow also weaken and the problem of drooping eyelid becomes more visible.
The development of ptosis may also be influenced by the use of improperly selected contact lenses.
Ptosis and eyelid surgery
It is a radical solution to the problem, but the method that will be performed must be adapted to the cause of the eyelid drooping. If serious diseases are the cause of eyelid surgery, the aim of the procedure is to widen the field of view. In other situations, it’s about getting a younger and more aesthetic appearance. However, you should know that the surgical correction of the upper eyelids is possible when the eyebrows are at the correct height.
Are you looking for a clinic where drooping eyelid surgery can be performed? Check which facilities in your area offer this treatment.
Blepharoplasty, as this is what plastic surgery of the eyelids is called, is a cosmetic correction of both upper and lower eyelids. Like any surgery, plastic surgery of the eyelids requires medical consultation and general examinations, the results of which will be assessed by an anesthesiologist, and specialist ophthalmological examinations using a slit lamp. The ophthalmologist also examines visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and visual field. An important test is also the assessment of the efficiency of the lacrimal organ. You can buy an eyelid surgery procedure at Medonet Market. The offered procedure is performed in the specialized Eyemed ophthalmological clinic.
The ideal candidates for the surgical correction of the eyelids are people who are generally healthy, without mental disorders. The procedure is not recommended for people who have problems with hyperthyroidism, suffer from insufficient tear glands, have high blood pressure or suffer from heart disease or diabetes. People suffering from glaucoma or due to retinal detachment require additional eye examinations.
Ptosis – performance of the procedure
Preparing for eyelid lift surgery is not difficult. Usually, the doctor asks the patient to refrain from smoking and taking medications containing acetylsalicylic acid that thin the blood, such as the popular aspirin. Drugs from this group should be discontinued 4-5 days before the procedure. If the operation is performed under anesthesia, do not eat or drink on the day of the procedure. Menstruation is a temporary contraindication to surgery in women.
Before the procedure, the patient is given oral sedatives. Most of these surgeries are performed under local anesthesia, so a longer stay in hospital is not needed.
The procedure takes from one to three hours, depending on whether it concerns the upper or both eyelids. The cuts are made at the natural folds to hide the scars. Usually, cuts are made in the crease of the upper eyelids and under the eyelashes of the lower eyelids. After making the incisions, unnecessary fatty tissue is removed from under the skin. The doctor can also remove a piece of muscle and excess skin. The edges of the wound are joined with thin sutures.
When the anesthetic wears off, you may experience a little pain which is relieved by taking oral painkillers. In the first days after the procedure, cold compresses should be applied to the eyelids to reduce swelling. Usually, the eyes also sting a little, but this inconvenience is removed with drops. Hypersensitivity to light or watery eyes are typical symptoms after the procedure, which disappears after a few days. The seams are removed after a week.
You can read and watch TV during your recovery. People wearing contact lenses should not use them for a week. The ladies do not paint their eyes for a week. For a few weeks after the treatment, the eyes should be protected from excessive sun. We also give up intensive training and avoid drinking alcohol.
The eyelid droop correction procedure offered by the Eyemed ophthalmological center can be purchased at Medonet Market.
How much does the correction of a drooping eyelid cost?
Ptosis – complications after the procedure
Theoretically, many complications are possible. However, in practice, especially when the procedure is performed in a good clinic and by an experienced surgeon, they rarely happen. But there may be so-called the oculo-cardiac reflex (this is the slowing down of the heart rate due to pressure on the eyeballs), separation of wounds or e.g. ectropion, i.e. the turning of the eyelid. In the case of ectropion, a skin graft may be necessary. Surgery may be followed by dry eye syndrome, which is treated by the administration of artificial tears.
The occurrence of swelling and bruises depends on the individual characteristics of the patient. Usually, however, they disappear after a week. Blurred or double vision may occur in the first days after surgery. These symptoms disappear on their own after a few days.
Makeup tricks
Drooping eyelids, both upper and lower, add years. A person who has such a problem always looks tired and dissatisfied with life. This ailment is especially troublesome for women who always want to look attractive. If drooping eyelids are not associated with a serious condition, you can resort to appropriate makeup or ask for help from a plastic surgeon.
The most important role in a make-up correcting drooping eyelids is a line made with shadows, crayons or eyeliner. It should be narrower at the inner corner of the eye and wider at the outer corner. The line should be slightly lifted in 2/3 of the eyelid length and pulled out towards the temples. This trick will visually raise the eyelid upwards.
A light eyeshadow should be applied to the entire eyelid, and a darker eyeshadow only around the outer corner of the eye. Applying a dark shadow, similarly to the line, paint the outer part of the eyelid a little wider and slightly obliquely towards the temples.
With drooping eyelids, the entire eye should not be outlined with a dark pencil or a dark shade. With such makeup, the eye appears smaller and deeper set.
When using mascara, emphasize the lashes at the outer corner of the eye. The longer and thicker they are, the less visible the drooping eyelid will be. To open the eye even more clearly, you can stick a few false eyelashes at the outer corner. The right make-up technique will not only improve your appearance, but will also be a micro massage that will improve blood circulation in the eyelids.