Drooping Eyelids

A drooping eyelid can be caused by excess skin or a problem with the muscle which controls the eyelid. Birth defects, tumors, surgery, and some diseases can also cause the eyelids to droop. It can occur in one or both eyes and can be so severe as to impair vision.

Excess skin is common in older people as the skin loses its elasticity. Connective tissue diseases which cause the skin to lose its elasticity are collectively referred to as dermatochalasis. Blepharochalasis is excess eyelid skin caused by recurring swelling, and is common in young people.

Levators are the muscles which lift the eyelids. When drooping eyelids impair vision, eyelid surgery to tighten or bypass these muscles may be necessary.

To learn more about eyelid drooping and corrective procedures, click here to visit the website of the Carter Eye Center in Dallas, Texas.