Eyelid drooping may occur due to various possible causes ranging from natural causes to medical conditions and trauma. A medical professional will be able to determine the cause of ptosis, and advise appropriate treatment.
Board certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Trang Vo-Nguyen (Dr. V) provides eyelid surgery to correct eyelid drooping to patients in Chantilly, Northern Virginia, Loudoun County, Fairfax, Prince William, Fauquier, Arlington, Middleburg, Leesburg, Manassas, Warrenton, and surrounding locations.
Natural Causes
Eyelid drooping can affect anyone at any age, but it is more common among older people because of the natural aging process. Lifting of the eyelid is performed by a tendon that is attached to the levator muscle. As a person ages, this muscle can sag, and as a result the eyelid will tend to droop. However, ptosis is not just caused due to aging, and sometimes even babies and children can be affected by this condition.
Precise cause of ptosis may remain unknown in some cases, while in some cases it may occur due to trauma or neurological problems. In case of congenital eyelid drooping, the key cause is that the levator muscle fails to develop well, impact the patient’s ability to open the eye. Children suffering from ptosis are at a risk of developing amblyopia, commonly known as lazy eye.
Ptosis in One or Both Eyelids
If the eyelid drooping occurs in both eyelids, the chances of an underlying medical condition are higher. But if only one of the eyelids is drooping, it may be due to a nerve injury or temporary swelling or inflammation. In rare cases, routine cataract or LASIK surgery may be the cause of development of ptosis, if the tendon or muscle gets overstretched.
Experienced facial plastic surgeon Dr. V receives patients from Chantilly, Northern Virginia, Loudoun County, Fairfax, Prince William, Fauquier, Arlington, Middleburg, Leesburg, Manassas, Warrenton, and other cities across the horizon for corrective surgery for ptosis.
Serious Medical Causes
Serious medical conditions such as brain tumor, stroke, neurological disorders or cancer of the nerves may sometimes causes eyelid drooping.
Myasthenia Gravis
Droopy eyelids can be an early symptom of myasthenia gravis, a rare disorder that affects the ways muscles respond to nerves. This condition can cause progressive muscle weakness, extending not just to eyelids but also to other part of the face and body.
Muscle Diseases
A hereditary muscle disease known as oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy may affect eye motion. In younger people, ptosis may occur due to a group of muscle illnesses known as progressive external ophthalmoplegia. These illnesses can cause ptosis in both eyes and problems in eye movement.
Nerve Problems
Any condition that causes injury to the brain or its cranial nerves may sometimes cause ptosis. This can happen because the eye muscle movement is controlled by the nerves that come from the brain.
Stroke, brain tumor, brain aneurysm, or nerve damage related to long-term diabetes are some of the conditions that can contribute to ptosis. In a few cases, eyelid drooping may occur due to an infection of a tumor of the eyelid, or a tumor inside the eye socket.
For more infomation please contact Dr. V. Dr. Trang Thuy Vo-Nguyen, known to her patients as “Dr. V,” is a board certified facial plastic surgeon providing the latest surgical and non-surgical aesthetic procedures in Northern Virginia, Leesburg, Loudoun, Fairfax, Warrenton, Fauquier, Arlington, Manassas, Middleburg, Prince William, and other areas. https://thevirginiainstitute.com/contact-us/
