DEFINITION: It is the looseness of the eyelid due to a malfunction of the muscle supporting the eyelid congenitally or later in life.

Figure 1. Preoperative (left) and postoperative (right) external appearance of patient operated with the diagnosis of congenital ptosis at our hospital.

CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS: The eyelid may move downward due to a developmental disorder of the eyelid muscle, palsy of the nerves here, detachment of the muscle because of aging or the mechanical effect of  masses in the eyelid.

FINDINGS: Findings change according to the cause of the eyelid looseness. In congenital ptosis, both opening and closing the eyelid are dysfunctional, while in ptosis caused by aging, only opening the eyelid is dysfunctional. In both cases, the eye seems as if it is smaller.

Figure 2. Preoperative (left) and postoperative (right) external appearance of patient operated with the diagnosis of  senile ptosis at our hospital.

DIAGNOSIS: There is a standard measuring method to measure the degree of ptosis through examination. It is also examined for laziness and myopic astigmatism particularly in congenital cases.

TREATMENT: The treatment is surgery. Operations for the muscle supporting the eyelid or hanging this muscle to the muscle on the eyebrow can be carried out under local anesthesia in adults and general anesthesia in children.