Ptosis - what is it? What disease has such a sonorous name? The name of the disease comes from the Greek: ptosis, which means "fall". This term is most often used by ophthalmologists when it comes to lowering the upper eyelid below the iris by more than 2 mm. Ptosis can affect both adults and children. A person may be born with this defect or acquire it during their lifetime.
Gravity ptosis has also been identified, it covers the whole face and some people, especially women, perceive it as a serious problem.
Manifestations of ptosis and its signs
Signs of the disease depend on its origin and causes, but the most striking manifestations of symptoms are the low position of the eyelids in one or both eyes, and also due to the inability of the eyelid to move, the inability of a person to cover the eye completely. Consequently, the eyeball is not moistened, hence the redness and pain, a feeling of sand in the eyes. Sometimes there is a violation of vision, its decrease, the image begins to fork.
It happens that the disease is accompanied by strabismus, deviation of vision to the side, inflammation. The patient, trying to open the eye, throws back his head to lift the eyelid orraises eyebrows using the muscles of the forehead, causing wrinkles to form on it. With Horner's syndrome, along with omission of the eyelid, enophthalmos (retraction of the eyeball) and miosis (the pupil narrows) are observed.
Types of ptosis
A person can be born with this disease - such ptosis is called congenital. And if it appears during life, then this is an acquired disease.
Its severity also varies: if the eyelid completely closes the eye, then this is complete ptosis. In the case of covering the eyelid by more than half - incomplete. And partial, when the eyelid falls, covering the eyeball by a third.
The degree of eye damage also varies: unilateral ptosis, if only one eye is affected. And bilateral, when both eyes are affected.
Congenital ptosis
The disease can manifest itself due to hereditary genetic factors or pathology of the development of the embryo, in which dystrophy of the levator lid muscle occurs, or aplasia of the nucleus of the oculomotor nerve. In some cases, normal function is preserved in whole or in part. This defect is most often found in congenital changes. They may affect one eye, rarely both.
Ptosis is determined almost from the very birth of the child, especially with its vivid manifestations. If the changes are minor, then it is diagnosed in a few months.
Acquired ptosis
The appearance of ptosis in a person at an older age is due to a number of reasons and it is divided by type of lesion:
- Aponeurotic comesdue to stretching and weakening of the aponeurosis of the muscle responsible for lifting the eyelid. The reason may be the natural aging processes of the body, as well as injuries, severe swelling, the consequences of operations.
- Neurogenic can occur due to disorders in the nervous system due to its diseases and damage. Most often, paralysis of the oculomotor nerve occurs as a consequence of diabetes mellitus, tumors, intracranial aneurysms.
- Mechanical eyelid ptosis is the consequences of eyelid deformation due to scars, tears, foreign bodies.
- Appearing when an excess crease forms on the eyelid.
- Anophthalmic: in the absence of the eyeball, the eyelid droops because it does not find support.
Ptosis diagnosis
When diagnosing and choosing a treatment, it is important to establish the etiology of the disease, its origin and type. Because it is congenital or acquired, the methods of treatment also depend. To do this, a patient is interviewed and it turns out if his next of kin had the same illness in order to exclude its genetic origin.
The doctor carefully examines the patient and determines the strength of the muscle, the mobility of the eyebrows and eyelids, its position relative to the pupil, the presence of astigmatism, the size of the skin fold, determines the level of vision of the patient, his intraocular pressure.
Checks for amblyopia, especially in children. After the diagnosis of eyelid ptosis is made, treatment is prescribed immediatelysame.
Consequences of ptosis
Ptosis of the eyelid is a problem that is not only cosmetic. It is dangerous because of the possible consequences that come due to the impossibility of the age to move freely. Inflammation of the eyeball is not excluded, strabismus develops, vision deteriorates. Children often try to cover their eyes with their hands, which carries the risk of infection.
So if the disease has manifested itself, then a timely visit to the doctor and treatment will correct the situation.
Ptosis treatment
It should be understood: if ptosis is diagnosed, what is a disease in which treatment is prescribed depending on its type and origin. If it appears at an older age, an integrated approach is needed, and if necessary, a neuropathologist is involved.
The disease itself is rarely cured, so it is important to start eliminating it as soon as possible, and surgery is usually recommended: ptosis is eliminated with surgical correction of the eyelid.
Most of it is based on tightening or strengthening the eyelid muscle that lifts it. The operation is performed by ophthalmic surgeons, combining with blepharoplasty. Usually local anesthesia is used in adults and general anesthesia in children. The duration of the procedure varies from 30 minutes to an hour, but sometimes it can last up to 2 hours. It depends on the complexity of the problem, the level of eyelid drooping.
The operation is available at any age, therefore, in case of congenital pathology, it is recommended for children to do it as early as possible. But up to 3 years, it is contraindicated, since at this timethe incision of the eyes is established, and the eyelids are in the formation stage. In order to prevent strabismus and amblyopia, as a temporary measure, it is recommended to stick an adhesive plaster on the eyelid during the day until the operation is performed.
Ptosis of the upper eyelid often leaves no visible consequences if everything was done well and the surgeon is highly qualified.
When performing eyelid correction, you should be aware of the possible consequences and postoperative complications. For several days after the operation, eyelids may become sore and lose their mobility, pain in the eyes, their dryness and inability to close the eyelids. It will take a few days for these symptoms to go away. But sometimes asymmetry of the eyelids, their inflammation and bleeding wounds may appear.
Facial ptosis - what is it?
With age, the quality of collagen fibers changes, their quantity decreases, the muscles that support the oval of the face weaken, as a result, its contours, under the influence of gravity, sink down, as if swimming. These changes are called gravitational ptosis.
First, the nasolabial folds deepen, the corners of the mouth and eyebrows fall. Over time, the nose and ears even drop, the lower part of the face becomes heavier and sags. A second chin appears, folds form on the neck. In this case, a diagnosis of facial ptosis is made.
Treatment of gravitational ptosis
Of course, no one has yet managed to avoid old age, but to reduce its manifestations completely in humanauthorities. In order to avoid the diagnosis of "facial ptosis", a woman needs to take measures that can fight aging from the age of 35, and sometimes even earlier, only at the first signs of changes. It is necessary to direct all efforts to increase and maintain the tone of the muscles of the face.
Cosmetic science has in its arsenal many tools that help strengthen facial muscles and rejuvenate the skin. These are also physiotherapeutic procedures, which include regular and fibrovascular massage, electrotherapy, and exposure to ultrasound.
An additional tool is the course application of peeling procedures.
In facial ptosis, the activation of the upper layers of the skin is insufficient: it is necessary to act on the deeper structures of the muscular-aponeurotic system that holds the frame of the face. In this case, gymnastics is effective, containing a set of exercises that affect this particular area.
If all possible means have been tried, but the desired effect has not been achieved, and facial ptosis does not recede, then you can try botulinum therapy: it is aimed at distributing muscle pull towards the upper part of the face.
In case of excess skin flap, injections of hyaluronic acid, potassium hydroxyapatite are also used: injected along the contour of the face, they significantly increase skin elasticity and turgor.
Contouring, photothermolysis, photorejuvenation are used in the treatment of gravitational ptosis. But these procedures are not always effective, so prevention is the most effective way to combat this deficiency.
Having become acquainted with such a phenomenon as ptosis (what it is and its possible consequences), you must always remember about the timely treatment and prevention of diseases, then you can avoid possible troubles in the future.
