Ptosis

ptosis, also called blepharoptosis, drooping of the upper eyelid. The condition may be congenital or acquired and can cause significant obscuration of vision. In congenital ptosis the muscle that elevates the lid, called the levator palpebrae superioris, is usually absent or imperfectly developed. If severe and not corrected in a timely manner, congenital ptosis can lead to amblyopia and permanent vision loss. Congenital palsy of the third (oculomotor) cranial nerve (which normally stimulates elevation of the upper lid) is a more rare cause of congenital ptosis.

Acquired ptosis has many potential causes, but it is usually due to age-related stretching or displacement of the fibres connecting the levator palpebrae superioris muscle to structures within the upper eyelid. It can also result from muscular diseases (such as muscular dystrophy or myasthenia gravis) or damage to the oculomotor nerve from diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, trauma, or direct compression. In a disorder called Horner syndrome, a slight ptosis occurs in association with a smaller pupil and decreased sweat production on the affected side.

Treatment of persistent blepharoptosis is usually surgical. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the onset of the ptosis, testing may be required to investigate possible underlying causes.