Ptosis of the upper eyelid is a very common problem faced by both adults and children. Pathology is accompanied by the omission of the tissues of the upper eyelid - in the last stages, the eyelid completely closes the eye. Despite the fact that in most cases ptosis is perceived solely as a cosmetic defect, sometimes the pathology leads to complications.
That's why so many people are looking for more data. Why does pathology develop? What are the symptoms to look out for? How is ptosis of the upper eyelid treated? Operation and features of the postoperative period, massage, conservative treatment, traditional medicine recipes - these are important information that should not be ignored.
Brief description of pathology
Ptosis is a pathological condition that is accompanied by a drooping of the upper eyelid so that it covers the iris by 2 mm or more. In addition, this disease is spoken of if one eyelid is lower than the other.
Illness canbe both congenital and acquired. In any case, it should be understood that this is not only a cosmetic defect. For example, in adults, this pathology leads to the development of dry eye syndrome, provokes the development of various inflammatory diseases. If we are talking about eyelid drooping in a child, then it should be understood that ptosis can interfere with the normal development of the visual analyzer.
Ptosis of the upper eyelid: causes of occurrence
Such a pathology can appear at different ages. The causes of ptosis of the upper eyelid are definitely worth considering. If we are talking about congenital forms of the disease, then it often appears on the background:
- various anomalies in the development of the muscles that raise the upper eyelid (often such a disease is combined with amblyopia and strabismus);
- damage to the nerve centers that control the functioning of the facial or oculomotor nerves.
Acquired forms of the disease can develop against the background of exposure to certain risk factors. Depending on the etiology, ptosis is divided into the following types.
- Neurogenic ptosis is the result of neurological diseases. For example, pathology can develop against the background of transient ischemic attack, multiple sclerosis. The causes also include the formation of tumors in the brain area, as well as meningitis, neuritis of the facial nerve. Ptosis in such cases can be supplemented by retraction of the eyeball, paralysis, dilation or narrowing of the pupil (usually one-sided).
- Aponeurotic ptosis develops due to weakening or overstretchingmuscles that are responsible for lifting the upper eyelid. In most cases, such a pathology is the result of incorrectly performed cosmetic facelift surgeries.
- Mechanical ptosis is the result of trauma to the eyelid or eye. Omission of the eyelid may be the result of penetration into the conjunctival cavity of foreign bodies. The risk group in this case includes athletes, as well as representatives of some other professions, in particular, welders, miners, etc.
- Some people have false ptosis. In this case, there is no drooping of the eyelid - the impression is created by the appearance of skin folds on the eyelid. As a rule, elderly patients face a similar problem.
Ptosis of the upper eyelid: photos and symptoms
The clinical picture largely depends on the causes of the pathology, as well as on the degree of its development. Ptosis of the upper eyelid is accompanied by drooping of the eyelid, which leads to complete or partial closure of the slit of the eye.
The disease usually develops gradually. Subconsciously, the patient tenses the muscles of the forehead and raises the eyebrows, trying to pull the eyelid up. Since the eyelid is lowered, the blinking movements are disturbed - the eyes quickly overwork. A person complains of constant soreness and burning in the eyes.
The frequency of blinking decreases, which gradually leads to damage to the tear film - this is how dry eye syndrome develops, which only aggravates the situation. Patients suffer from discomfort in the eyes. It also increases the risk of developing inflammatoryand infectious eye diseases.
Children also often suffer from ptosis of the upper eyelid. The doctors' comments indicate that it is difficult to identify such an ailment in infancy, since the baby almost constantly occupies a horizontal position - drooping of the eyelids is not so noticeable. The symptoms can only be attributed to rapid blinking during meals, however, such a violation is observed not in every small patient.
At an older age, the child may experience uncontrolled muscle contraction on the affected part of the face - often mistaken for a nervous tic. Sometimes the child complains of rapid eye fatigue. While reading, writing, or other activities, the little patient often throws his head back, trying to return the eyelid to its natural position.
Congenital ptosis of the upper eyelid is often associated with other pathologies. For example, some children may notice a fold of skin overhanging the upper eyelid (epicanthus). Possible paralysis of the oculomotor muscles, strabismus, as well as damage to the cornea, which is fraught with decreased vision.
Classification: forms and types of disease
Treatment of ptosis of the upper eyelid directly depends on the type and stage of development of the pathology. Above, the classification of pathology was considered depending on the causes of its occurrence.
In addition, ptosis of the upper eyelid can be congenital or acquired. Pathology is most often unilateral, although the possibility of a bilateral lesion is not excluded (there isomission of two eyelids at once).
During the diagnosis, the degree of omission is also taken into account. Depending on this, three forms are distinguished:
- partial ptosis - the upper eyelid covers no more than a third of the pupil;
- incomplete ptosis - the pupil is about half closed;
- complete ptosis - there is complete drooping of the eyelid, the pupil is completely closed, as a result of which the eye does not function.
Diagnostic measures
In fact, diagnosis is rarely difficult. Already during a visual examination, the doctor may notice the presence of ptosis of the upper eyelid. It is very important to find out the degree of eyelid drooping. The width of the palpebral fissure is also measured, the degree of mobility of the eyebrows and eyeballs, the symmetry of the location of the eyelids, etc.
If there is a suspicion of visual impairment, then additional ophthalmological tests are mandatory. In particular, it is important to check visual acuity, change the angle of strabismus (if any), and determine the amount of accommodation. Also performed perimetry and exophthalmometry, the study of binocular vision.
In case of mechanical ptosis, the patient is also sent for an x-ray of the orbit - this helps to confirm or exclude the presence of damage to bone structures. If there is a suspicion of a neurogenic origin of ptosis, then the patient is shown magnetic resonance or computed tomography.
Ptosis treatment conservatively
Upper eyelid ptosis can be treated in some casesin a conservative way. It should be noted right away that therapy for such a disease is primarily aimed at normalizing the work of the visual analyzer and only then at eliminating cosmetic defects.
Conservative treatment includes massage of the affected part of the face, as well as special gymnastic exercises. Sometimes patients are prescribed drugs that increase blood circulation and nutrition of nerve tissues. If ptosis is caused by an injection of botulinum toxin, then patients are prescribed eye drops, which contain phenylephrine, alfagan, and lopidine. Such drugs increase the contraction of the oculomotor muscles, causing the eyelid to rise.
Sometimes physiotherapy is effective, in particular, galvanization (exposure to the affected area with electric current) and ultra-high frequency therapy (the cornea is affected by a high-frequency electromagnetic field).
Massage
How to treat ptosis of the upper eyelid? Often, massage is included in the therapy regimen, which, by the way, can be done independently. The technique in this case is quite simple.
- First you need to prepare. Hands are recommended to be washed and treated with an antibacterial agent. The skin around the eyes also needs to be cleaned, removing the remnants of decorative cosmetics.
- The skin is treated with massage oil, after which gentle, stroking movements are performed from the inner corner of the eye to the outer.
- After the tissues are already warmed up, you can move on to tapping, moving around the skin aroundeye. Eyeballs should not be touched.
- Next, it is recommended to cover the eyes for a few minutes with cotton pads dipped in chamomile infusion.
Gymnastics for the eyes
Treatment of ptosis of the upper eyelid without surgery includes regular facial exercises.
- Sit back and relax, look ahead. Now circle your eyes five times (clockwise). The exercise should be done slowly, without tension.
- First look up, then open your mouth and start blinking frequently. At first, the exercise should last 30 seconds, but gradually this time can be increased.
- Close your eyes, count to five, then open your eyes wide and look ahead. The exercise must be repeated six times.
- Tilt your head back, then close your eyes and stay still for a few seconds.
Of course, a similar set of exercises should be performed daily (preferably 2-3 times a day). It is believed that such therapeutic exercises help not only to fight drooping eyelids - it also has a positive effect on vision. Such activities help strengthen muscles, improve blood circulation, and tighten the skin.
Folk remedies
Many people are wondering if ptosis can be treated at home. Of course, some traditional medicine recipes will help tighten and refresh the skin. However, such remedies can be used only with the permission of a doctor and onlyas auxiliary.
- Ice is a great helper in the fight against sagging skin. For the procedure, a decoction of almost any medicinal herb is suitable, for example, chamomile flowers, as well as sage, parsley, etc. Pour the decoction into molds and freeze. Every day, treat the skin of the eyelids and around the eyes with an ice cube (the procedure is best done after washing with warm water).
- Decoctions of medicinal herbs can also be used for compresses. For this purpose, birch leaves, parsley are suitable. In a chilled broth, blot gauze or a cotton pad, which then apply to the eyelids. The compress should remain for approximately 10 minutes.
- Perfectly tones, nourishes and tightens the skin egg mask. For its preparation, only the yolk is used, which must be mixed with a small amount of olive or sesame oil. Beat the ingredients until a homogeneous mass is obtained - the resulting mixture should be treated with the skin of the upper eyelid and left for 20 minutes. The remains of the product are washed off with warm water.
- For masks, you can use essential oils of rosemary, lavender and thyme (they are mixed with nourishing vegetable oil). They have anti-inflammatory properties and soothe the skin.
Such procedures significantly improve the condition of the skin, increase its tone, and this has a positive effect on the condition of the eyelids.
Surgery
Unfortunately, many patients eventually require upper eyelid ptosis surgery. Reviews of experts confirm that this is, perhaps,the only truly effective therapy. To date, several methods have been developed.
- Sometimes the eyelid is fixed by sewing it to the frontal muscle. The procedure, as a rule, is carried out with insufficient mobility of the eyelid. It should be noted that the cosmetic effect of such a procedure is not so pronounced. However, the operation rarely causes any complications.
- If the patient has eyelid mobility, the doctor may decide to partially resect the muscle that lifts the eyelids. The shortened muscle will not allow the eyelid to drop too much. The procedure is relatively simple: through a small incision in the skin of the upper eyelid, the surgeon creates access to the muscle, excised part of it, after which a small part of the skin fold is removed.
- With good mobility of the upper eyelid, the doctor may decide to apply a duplication of the muscle aponeurosis. A U-shaped suture is placed on the muscle that lifts the eyelids. Due to this, the length of the muscle decreases - the eyelid rises and takes its natural position.
Rehabilitation after the procedure takes only a few days.
Prognosis for patients
Ptosis of the upper eyelid is an extremely unpleasant disease that should never be ignored. It should be said right away that conservative methods of therapy can rarely provide a lasting result, although regular exercises, self-massage and other procedures help slow down the process of eyelid drooping.
However, in most cases, the only truly effective treatment for ptosis of the upper eyelid is surgery. The prognosis for patients is favorable. But if left untreated, the disease can lead to a decrease in visual acuity. Moreover, sometimes patients develop the so-called lazy eye syndrome. Amblyopia is a pathology, as a result of which one eye simply stops working, and in the absence of therapy, the structures of the visual analyzer gradually atrophy.
