There are plenty of reasons why you may be struggling with your vision. If you do not have myopia or another eyesight condition, your issue may be more external. Some skin-related conditions like lazy eye and ptosis can cause the eyelids to droop over the eyes, obstructing parts of the vision. You may be dealing with one of these conditions if you are struggling with misaligned or injured lids. But are ptosis and lazy eye related?
Are Ptosis and Lazy Eye Related?
This begs the question: are ptosis and lazy eye related? Are they both the same condition? Do they both require eyelid surgery to correct? Below, you will find the answers to these important questions and more.
About Ptosis
Ptosis is the scientific term for drooping eyelids. The condition can occur for a number of reasons, including aging and injury. Over time, muscles that hold up the eyelids can get weaker and fall down. This leads to eyelids drooping and even falling into the eye itself. Ptosis must be repaired with blepharoplasty, a type of plastic surgery designed to repair and rejuvenate the lids.
Ptosis is sometimes referred to as lazy eye, causing people to believe that they are both the same exact thing. This is only partially true. While ptosis describes drooping lids with conditions ranging from mild to severe, lazy eye refers only to the most extreme cases. Lazy eye is scientifically referred to as amblyopia, which is identified by advanced drooping of the eyelids.
Where Do Ptosis and Lazy Eye Come From?
Lazy eye can be a result of ptosis getting worse over time, or it can be present from the start. There are many different causes of eyelid drooping, with common factors including:
- Neurological development issues
- Past medical conditions that cause damage to the eyelids
- Physical injury to the eyelids or surrounding areas
- Genetic inheritance
- Issues with the levator palpebrae – the muscles in your eyelids
It is important that you visit your eye surgeon as soon as possible so you can get the most accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. Depending on the origin of your drooping lids, as well as the extent to which your eyelids have been damaged, a plan of care can be made for you right away.
Treating Ptosis and Lazy Eye
Every form of ptosis, from mild to serious, can be treated through our innovative and customized plastic surgery techniques. Blepharoplasty includes different kinds of eyelid lifts that treat drooping, muscle damage, fatty pouches, and wrinkles. The best way to determine whether or not you need this type of treatment is to schedule a consultation with your trusted oculofacial surgeon and talk about your issues.
Eyelid treatment is usually performed for two reasons. Eyelid drooping can cause some serious physical damage as your muscles weaken and stretch your skin. To prevent vision obstruction and to return full functionality to your eyelids, you can go through a custom surgical treatment. This procedure is also performed to give you better self-esteem, boosting your confidence so you can feel better about the way you look.
For the most part, you can treat forms of lazy eye with ptosis surgery. However, a full assessment is still required by your surgeon to determine the correct method of treatment. Milder cases of ptosis and even some forms of lazy eye may be treated with injections before resorting to surgical intervention.
Ptosis Risk Factors
A lot of people wait too long to address their issues with ptosis. With years of sagging eyelids and drooping muscles behind you, the problem will only get worse. You may also struggle with an asymmetrical look as one side of your face droops more than the other. If you wait too long to seek corrective surgery, your ptosis may develop into amblyopia – or lazy eye.
Also, if you believe that you are developing ptosis and want an expert opinion, sign up for an appointment with our doctors and we can monitor the progress of your condition. If your ptosis develops slowly enough, you may not need immediate treatment. Signs of rapidly growing ptosis should be treated right away. Eyelid surgery is typically quick and concise, with an uncomplicated recovery timeline.
Get Beautiful Eyelids in the Inland Empire Today
No matter what stage you are in the progression of your ptosis, you can seek effective treatment options to lift your skin and give you a brighter outlook. Our personally tailored ptosis surgery options can treat cases of ptosis from mild to severe, including the treatment of lazy eye. Learn more about these symptoms and get in touch with us to create a plan of focus for your inner and outer well-being.