Ptosis (“toe-sis”) is an odd word with a simple definition. Ptosis is the medical term for a drooping eyelid. It refers only to the upper eyelid and it really makes someone look tired and worn out.
Dr. Chandler is an expert in diagnosing the cause and surgically repairing drooping eyelids to counter the impacts of ptosis.
The causes of droopy eyelids
The causes of ptosis aren’t always obvious because the area involves the muscles, nerves, and the skin of the eyelids. The muscles involved are called levator muscles (think elevator); they allow the eyelids to move up. As we age, the muscles and tissues lose some of their strength and they begin to sag. This is universal, but the degree of this sagging can be impacted by sun exposure, personal habits, and simple genetics. If your mom or dad had droopy eyelid surgery, you might as well.
There are other causes of ptosis: nerve damage in the face or eye area, stroke, and even an autoimmune disease. But in most people, sagging eyelids are just a part of getting older.
Impact of sagging eyelids
Ptosis can make a person seem perpetually tired or even sad. Asymmetric ptosis, where one lid droops but not the other, can be distracting to people you’re talking with or trying to engage with. Either way, the condition can impact a person’s self-confidence and their overall self-image.People often subconsciously judge people with ptosis negatively, simply because their eyelids do not seem open or alert.
Surgery to correct ptosis
Obviously, treatment of ptosis by Dr. Chandler varies depending on the patient. For sure, ptosis surgery is extremely delicate and precise – requiring microsurgery to repair. Dr. Chandler is a highly-skilled expert in various eyelid surgeries, including ptosis. It is critical that a ptosis surgeon has extreme understanding of the underlying anatomy involved in these procedures.
Blepharoplasty (removing excess eyelid skin / scultpting the eyelids) does not correct ptosis, but in many patients Dr. Chandler combines blepharoplasty with ptosis surgery to combine a pleasing aesthetic result with the functional changes required to eliminate the sagging eyelids.
If you have a droopy eyelid or eyelids, this isn’t something you need to live with. Dr. Chandler has extensive experience correcting ptosis and having your lids looking bright and awake again! Call us at our Moorestown / Cherry Hill, New Jersey office, (609) 877-2800, or our Jenkintown, Pennysylvania office, (215) 885-6830, to schedule a ptosis (droopy eyelid) consultation.
