This slideshow requires JavaScript.



Ptosis (pronounced “toe-sis”) is the medical term for drooping of the upper eyelid(s). The drooping of the upper eyelids may cause a obstruction of vision. A droopy eyelid may cause difficulty keeping the eye open. To compensate , people with ptosis strain their forehead muscles, to keep their eyes open. In severe cases, a person with a ptosis will use their fingers to lift up their eyelid.

Children with a droopy eyelid may develop a lazy eye, because the droopy eyelid obstructs the line of sight. If a lazy eye starts to develop, then the ptosis needs to be fixed up to prevent a permanent lazy eye.

What Causes Ptosis?
There are many causes of ptosis including :
age related weakening of the muscle
congenital weakness ( develops at birth)
neurologic disease

Age related weakness occurs as a result of stretching of the muscle that lifts up the eyelid. This represents the most common cause of a droopy eyelid. Ptosis may also occur following routine eye surgery due to stretching of the muscle or tendon. Children may be born with ptosis or may acquire it due to trauma or neurologic reasons.

What are the signs and symptoms of adult blepharoptosis?

A drooping eyelid is the primary sign of blepharoptosis. There may be some vision loss in the upper field of vision. There may be fatigue from attempting to elevate the lid or there may be a compensatory elevation of the brow. Droopy eyelids can also have a profound effect on a person’s cosmetic appearance and self-esteem as they often cause a person to appear sleepy or cause asymmetry to the face.

Blepharoptosis Surgery


Your specific expectations
Your current and past general health
Any history of a dry eye problem
Any contact lens wear
Any allergies
Any history of smoking

The assistants are also happy to answer any further questions and to show you the facilities at icaresandton including the operating theatre if it is not in use.
Please answer all questions completely and honestly as they are asked only for your own well-being, so that your surgery can be planned as carefully as possible. The information is treated confidentially. If you are unsure of the names of any medications, bring them with you.

Your vision is measured. Your eyes are examined carefully using a special ophthalmic microscope. Your tear film status is determined and the back of the eyes (called the retina) are examined as well as the eyelids themselves.


For patients who are on medical aid a formal visual field record and photographs are often required by your medical aid company. These are taken at the time of consultation and provided to your medical aid provider so that authorization for your surgery can be obtained.

What happens after blepharoptosis surgery?


You will be asked to clean the eyelids very gently using clean cotton wool and sterile saline or cooled boiled water and repeat the application of antibiotics to the wounds 3 times a day for 2 weeks. The sutures used for a levator aponeurosis advancement are dissolvable but are usually removed in clinic after 2 weeks.

The skin around the eyes should be protected from direct sunlight, by avoidance if possible or by using protective sunglasses. Wearing make-up should be avoided for at least 2 weeks. It is important to devote a lot of time to your aftercare for the first 2 weeks and some patients find this somewhat labour intensive.





Can Ptosis Be Corrected?
Ptosis can be corrected surgically and usually involves tightening the muscle that elevates the eyelid. In severe ptosis, when the levator muscle is extremely weak, a “sling” operation may be performed, enabling the forehead muscles to elevate the eyelid(s).

Your ophthalmologist will perform tests and measurements on the eyelid, in order to accurately treat the ptosis.The goal is to elevate the eyelid to permit a full field of vision and to achieve symmetry with the opposite upper eyelid. Who Should Perform Ptosis Surgery? When choosing a surgeon to perform ptosis surgery, look for a cosmetic and reconstructive facial surgeon who specializes in the eyelids, orbit, and tear drain system.

Leave a Reply


You are commenting using your account. Log Out /  Change )

Google+ photo


Twitter picture


Facebook photo


Connecting to %s