Blepharoptosis, also known as Droopy Eyelids

Blepharoptosis, also known as Droopy Eyelids

Blepharoptosis is a condition commonly known as “droopy eyelid”. Some people are born with weak eyelid muscles. This condition is calledCongenital Blepharoptosis. Some people develop this condition for various reasons during their lifetime. This condition is calledAcquired Blepharoptosis.

People with Blepharoptosis experience the following changes.

Width of double eyelid folds change. One fold eyelid turns into a double eyelid. A double eyelid fold widens.
Eyelids depress.
White of the eyes widens.
Eyebrows are raised.
Chin constantly stays up.

People with Blepharoptosis also have the following symptoms.

Heavy feeling on eyelids
Difficulty opening eyelids in the evening
Pain behind eyes
Stiff shoulders and migraine headaches

Aging often causes Blepharoptosis. Droopy eyelids among seniors is called “Senile Blepharoptosis”. Some young people, even in their twenties, acquire Blepharoptosis from habitual eye rubbing due to hay fever or atopic dermatitis. Weakened eyelid muscles by the use of contact lenses (especially hard contact lenses) sometimes cause Blepharoptosis, too. When a patient has difficulty seeing due to the eyelids sagging and covering black part of the eyes, a surgery is recommended, even for a young child. Insurance is accepted for the treatment of patients with severe stiff shoulders and headache caused by Blepharoptosis. (Insurance is not accepted for cosmetic procedures.)

Congenital Blepharoptosis

Before the operation. She had chronic stiff shoulders and difficulty seeing. Upper half of the black of her eyes was hidden under her eyelids. Insurance is accepted for the treatment of Congenital Blepharoptosis.	Immediately after the operation. The patient’s eyelid muscles were pulled up, using a surgical microscope. The length of the scar is 10 millimeters.
5th day from the operation. There is a little swelling on her eyelids. The patient visited our clinic with glasses on.	3 weeks after the operation. The swelling has been relieved.
5 months after the operation.	Close-up picture of the patient’s eyelid 5 months after the operation. There is a slight scar, but it is hardly visible even from a short distance.

Senile Blepharoptosis

Before the operation. This patient had limited visibility and difficulty seeing. She had fatigue and stiff shoulders, since she opened her eyes widely when she drove a car. Insurance is accepted to treat her condition.	We cut excess skin on her eyelids and adjusted muscles used to open eyelids.
Immediately after the operation. The patient needs to rest and keep the eye area cool after the elimination of excess eyelid skin.	1 week after the operation. Swelling has subsided. Stitches on her eyelids will be removed around this time.
3 weeks after the operation. Swelling has been relieved. Her eyelids look slightly red when she closes her eyes.	1 year and 3 months after the operation. Scar from the operation is hardly visible. She does not have recurrence of symptoms she had before the operation.

Acquired Blepharoptosis

Before the operation. This patient has been using contact lenses for more than 30 years. She had limited visibility and difficulty opening her eyelids, especially the left one. Insurance is accepted to treat her condition.	Skin of her eyelids was cut and muscles used to open eyelids were adjusted.
Immediately after the operation. Excess skin on her eyelids was eliminated and eyelid muscles were adjusted. The patient needs to rest and keep the eye area cool during this healing process.	5 days after the operation. She still has slight swelling on her eyelids, but she can go out with glasses on. Stitches are removed around this time.
3 weeks after the operation. The patient can open her eyes more easily and her visibility improved dramatically after the surgery.	One and half years after the operation. Scar from the surgery is invisible even with a closer look. The patient does not have recurrence of symptoms she had before the operation.

Advantages of Blepharoptosis Operation

(Function)

Patients can open their eyes more easily after the surgery. They can see things better as a result. They also have less eye fatigue after the surgery.

(Appearance)

This procedure creates a clean-cut double-eyelid fold. If a patient has no droopy eyelid and desires a double-eyelid fold procedure only, insurance is not accepted.

(Stiff Shoulders)

People with Blepharoptosis tend to have stiff shoulders because they raise their eyebrows when they look at things. Many people report disappearance of stiff shoulders after the surgery.