Is Ptosis Affecting Your Vision?

Your eyelids play an important role in keeping your eyes healthy. By providing a protective covering, your eyelids keep debris and germs out of your eyes while spreading tears to keep your eyes moist.

As we age, though, our upper eyelids can start to droop and sag. Over time, they can sag enough to actually interfere with your vision.

This is a condition called ptosis, and without treatment, it can pose some serious problems for your eyes and your eyesight. 

The good news: Soheila Rostami, MD, and her team at Rostami OPC are skilled in treating all sorts of eyelid issues, including ptosis. Here’s what to do if your saggy lids are interfering with your vision.

The ABCs of ptosis

Although ptosis can be congenital (present at birth), most people develop drooping, saggy lids later in life, a condition sometimes referred to as acquired ptosis. 

In many cases, ptosis is caused by age-related changes in your skin — specifically, a loss of collagen and elastin that combine to keep younger skin taut and elastic. Eyelid muscles and ligaments can stretch or weaken with age as well.

At other times, eyelid trauma, previous eyelid surgery, or a medical condition like a stroke or nerve-related problem can cause ptosis. Before any treatment begins, Dr. Rostami evaluates your lids to determine the cause of sagging, so you can feel confident your treatment will be optimized for your eye health.

Of course, the primary goal of ptosis treatment is to correct vision problems caused by sagging lids. But once the sagging is corrected, you may also find that you benefit by looking more alert and even more youthful, both really important elements in your self-confidence.

Treating ptosis

Ptosis can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the degree of sagging and whether the drooping eyelids are causing vision problems. Prior to treating your droopy lids, Dr. Rostami examines your eyes and your lid structure, as well as evaluating their function.

When sagging lids block your pupils — either partially or completely — eyelid surgery is almost always the recommended option. In eyelid surgery, Dr. Rostami gently lifts your upper eyelids, removing excess skin and returning the lid margin to its normal level above your pupil. 

Eyelid lifts can be performed on one eye or both, depending on your needs. For patients with sagging brows, she may recommend a brow lift to provide additional support for the surrounding muscles.

Recovering after an eyelid lift

Eyelid surgeries are performed using local anesthetics and sedation to keep you relaxed and comfortable. Once the surgery is complete, you can go home shortly afterward.

Initially, you may have some minor swelling and discomfort in your lids. Cool compresses and over-the-counter pain medicines can help. Sensitivity to light, watery eyes, and blurry vision can also occur temporarily.

Dr. Rostami recommends that her patients avoid strenuous activity for a week or so following surgery to give their eyelids plenty of time to heal. If you wear contact lenses, she may recommend you stick to glasses for about three weeks to avoid irritating your eyelids.

Maintain your good vision

Seeing an eye doctor on a regular basis is important for maintaining clear vision, and it’s also important for treating age-related changes that can happen in the structure of the eye. Structural changes like ptosis are best treated early, before they take a toll on your ability to see.

To learn more about ptosis treatment and how it can improve your vision and your eye health, call the office in Reston, Virginia, or book an appointment with Dr. Rostami using our online tool today.