How to Cure Ptosis Naturally, What is Droopy Eyelid?

Check out this article to see if and how to cure ptosis with natural remedies and medical treatments. We will also throw in more details about the initial causes of droopy eyelids. Blepharoptosis, from the Greek words for eyelid (blepharon) and falling (ptosis), is a condition in which the upper eyelid begins to droop. When this happens, the eyelid may partially obstruct vision and impair one’s quality of life. In the paragraphs to follow, we will delve into the information surrounding the condition and how to go about correcting it. Do stick around.

Before we go into it, we have to stress that not all droopy eyelid conditions can be cured naturally. To determine the right course of treatment, you have to consult with an experienced doctor who will point you to the best and most appropriate ways to manage it – natural methods or medical ptosis correction treatment.

Ptosis Causes: What Triggers Drooping of the Eyelid

We've written a detailed article on the ptosis causes, read it if you'd like to get more information. Here we'll briefly touch on the main ones.

There are different culprits for this medical condition. For one, there could be damage to the nerves supporting the eye. Ageing is one of the main factors for ptosis to arise, but there are also individuals who are born with ptosis (called congenital ptosis). Other possible causes include inflammation of the orbit, tissue abnormalities, aponeurosis of the eyelid muscle, and autoimmune antibodies.

When it comes to aesthetic procedures, a poor Botox job on the skin might induce muscle weakness in the upper eyelid. It currently doesn’t have a corresponding treatment. The good news is that it is temporary and will last as long as the effects of the injectable are on, which is 5-6 months overall. Choosing an extremely experienced technician for a Botox injection proves to minimise incidences of ptosis caused by Botox.

Another possible cause of eyelid drooping is cataract surgery. Peer-reviewed studies have shown that about 10% of patients who have cataract surgery, a lens replacement operation, develop lid drooping. It tends to resolve spontaneously within the first six months or, in rare cases, during the first year post-op.

Furthermore, prolonged wearing of contact lenses may cause ptosis to arise. Hard contact lenses are the main trigger, although soft lenses seemed to cause an issue in a few individuals, a medically-reviewed case-control study reveals.

And lastly, some drugs may lead to ptosis when used in high doses.

Types of Ptosis, or Droopy Eyelids

• Neurogenic ptosis. This type of ptosis occurs due to damage or dysfunction of the sympathetic nerves or oculomotor. Another reason neurogenic ptosis develops are issues with the central nervous system.
• Myogenic ptosis. The eyelid cannot raise high enough to its natural position because of a dysfunction in the levator muscle. Myogenic ptosis may be caused by a range of conditions such as oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis, congenital myopathies, mitochondriopathy, and others. In most cases, these disorders can recur after surgery and are more often than not progressive. For example, myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes muscle weakness and tends to affect the muscles responsible for swallowing and vision. Thus, it can lead to droopy eyelids, trouble talking, and double vision.
• Traumatic/mechanical ptosis. This type of ptosis happens as a result of trauma or injury due to which the skin is weighed down. Scar tissue may also cause droopy eyelids. According to academic research institutions, mechanical ptosis is heterogeneous and has to be evaluated systematically to determine the right approach.
• Aponeurotic ptosis. This type of ptosis could arise after surgery. Aponeurotic ptosis is, in fact, one of the most prevalent types of acquired ptosis.

Pseudo ptosis. This type of ptosis occurs when there is no actual eyelid drooping, but it seems like it. It can develop due to a higher lid position on one side or lack of support to the eyelid in general (atrophic globe or empty socket).

Diagnosis of Acquired and Congenital Ptosis

As with every other medical condition, you need to undergo a physical exam. An ophthalmologist will take a look at your eyes under a slit lamp. They will place a device in front of you where you can rest your head, so it remains still during the procedure. You don’t have to prepare for this exam. Your eyes may have to be dilated with eye drops in advance. This will allow the doctor to detect any abnormalities.

Next, the degree of the eyelids droop might be measured to ascertain the presence and severity of ptosis. For that, the physician has to measure the marginal reflex distance, which refers to the distance between the edge of the upper eyelid and the centre of the pupil itself. In which, this helps to assess the function and strength of the levator muscle.

Another kind of test that helps figure out if a patient has ptosis is something called a visual field test. Its role is to calculate if superior vision is affected by the problem and to what extent.

Can Congenital Ptosis Correct Itself?

Some babies are born with eye asymmetries like droopy eyelids which usually go away after a few months. However, when there is a significant eyelid droop, it won’t resolve on its own. An eye doctor may tell whether it is affecting your offspring and what steps it would take to fix the problem. A droopy eyelid doesn’t always need to be addressed, but the underlying cause should be investigated, so you know it’s nothing serious.

Medical Treatment for Ptosis, or Eyelid Droop: Best Practices

There are two main treatment options, one is surgery, and the other is a mechanical ptosis crutch. Let’s go over them in more detail, starting with the most common treatment.

Surgical treatment options for weakened eyelids

When droopy eyelids advance so much that they impair one’s vision, surgery is the best option. Ptosis repair aims to shorten and even tighten the levator muscle responsible for the problem. This basically lifts the eyelid and opens up the eye, which instantly improves eyesight.

You may hear the term upper blepharoplasty (“plassein” means “to form” in Greek) tossed around. Yet, it’s not an accurate description since it’s used for a cosmetic procedure that adds a crease on the upper eyelids. It may affect the eye muscles and skin but not to the extent that would allow such a correction. Its objective is different.

The surgery is done under anaesthesia so that the patient is relaxed and unable to move their eyelids. A surgeon does all the work with the help of their team. They have to pre-mark the area and then make an incision along the eyelid to get access to the levator muscle and other eyelid tissue. Blepharoplasty is quite popular in Singapore, although you may know it better by its other name – double eyelid surgery. It is a surgery that includes another popular treatment – eye bag removal.

Various medically-reviewed approaches are employed depending on the underlying cause of ptosis. Sometimes the specialists choose to do levator resection (of the levator muscle) and sometimes frontalis sling operation is more suitable (when the eyelid muscles are stretched out). In some cases, the experts opt for Müller muscle resection. And the fourth common medically-reviewed method is the Whitnall sling.

Although ptosis treatment is performed on a daily basis, one should never forget, it presents various challenges along the way. A skilled and experienced eye doctor should carry out the surgery.

There are a lot of pitfalls that could result in an anaesthetic appearance or general failure of the treatment. Everyone’s eyes are different. A specialist needs to pay attention to the natural shape of the peepers and work from there. If they are going to correct only one droopy eyelid, many doctors like to take a picture of the good one to use it for comparison purposes.

Another common pitfall during the treatment is dry eyes. Since a lot of patients suffer from dry eyes, this has to be brought up. The minor ailment may make it difficult for the doctor to lift the muscle as high as it should be, in which case they want to address the problem before attempting ptosis surgery.

Ptosis crutch for droopy eyelids

This tiny device looks like a method of torture, but it can give you the ability to see effortlessly without the need for surgery. In most cases, it is used for temporary ptosis. Essentially, it is a gadget that you attach to the frame of your eyeglasses, so it keeps the lid of the problem eye elevated. Application is easy.

How to Cure Ptosis Naturally: Are there any Treatment Options for Droopy Eyelids to Try at Home?

Going through all that health information about surgery must have given you a headache already, just like that droopy eyelid when you try to keep the muscle elevated so you can see. You are probably determined to investigate some natural ways to cure droopy eyelids.

Unfortunately, this condition cannot be fixed at home, and anything you read on the Internet should be taken with a grain of salt. If you are looking for trustworthy eye health information and medical advice, your best bet is to talk to a doctor. Don’t just count on media websites. If you are determined to search for medical content online, stick with accredited websites.

The most popular suggestions are supplementing with vitamins and applying cucumber slices or chamomile tea bags over the eyes. While they can help take the strain off your eyes and improve the skin, that’s about it. It’s not uncommon for one to think that because cold can help with swelling, it will fix a droopy eyelid. But in reality, it won’t. A few slices of cucumber simply cannot tighten the levator muscle and prevent it from drooping.

Eating some foods that will improve vision is a great way to enhance your general health and eyesight. However, it will do nothing to address the medical causes behind ptosis and weakened levator muscle.

Now, there is no medically-reviewed evidence that eye exercise could help with ptosis, but researchers believe that working those eyelid muscles out can prevent muscle weakness and reduce the severity of the eyelid droop. Just like you train your legs and arms, your eyes could use some stimulation as well.

You may consider covering your good peeper with an eye patch to allow the droopy eyelid muscle to engage more in daily activities. As always, don’t go overboard with it. You don’t want to apply too much pressure.

What Happens if a Droopy Eyelid is Left Untreated?

It depends on the underlying cause. If it is a certain condition that is affecting both eyes or the entire body, it will have its consequences. If the ptosis is temporary, then, in most cases, no treatment is needed.

In all other instances, lack of treatment may lead to the so-called lazy eye, or amblyopia, which affects kids especially. An eye patch may or may not help with eyelid droop. If no measures are taken, too much eye strain caused by ptosis can lead to headaches and other problems.

In other words, if you think you may have droopy eyelids, it is best to get a diagnosis as soon as you can to rule out any serious eye issues. This is not a dangerous condition, but it is important to let a medical professional monitor it. They will guide you through the process, let you know if you have to do anything special about it, and so on. All things considered, you need medical advice from a qualified professional. Doctors have the right type of data at hand and know how to handle it. Not only do they learn about the human body and muscles, but they have access to top-notch medical-grade equipment.

Bottom Line on Droopy Eyelids

Ptosis is an eye condition affecting the upper eyelid muscles that can be managed. There are several treatments that have shown positive results in medically-reviewed studies. A doctor may take on a different approach with every patient, depending on the cause. One way to address your eye droop condition is by surgery. Although patients are generally reluctant to go under the knife, this is by far the best option.

It is vital to remember that no home treatments have proven to work on ptosis. While they can relieve eye strain and relax the muscles, they have no power over a weakened levator muscle.

You can learn more about how to lift droopy eyelids here.

There is no doubt eye health is important. Having an eye exam every year or so will ensure you detect any issues on time before they develop into serious disorders. It is a crucial service to avail of.