In this educational video, Dr. Aliza Epstein explains ptosis, a condition in which the upper eyelid droops and may interfere with vision.
She reviews common causes of ptosis, with a focus on age-related ptosis, and explains how eyelid muscle function is evaluated to determine the most appropriate treatment. Dr. Epstein also discusses the most common surgical approaches to ptosis repair, including external eyelid surgery, internal scarless techniques, and cases where a frontalis sling may be required.
This video is intended to help patients better understand ptosis, available treatment options, and when ptosis surgery may be medically necessary and covered by insurance.
Hi, I’m Dr. Aliza Epstein, and I’m an oculoplastic surgeon at the Fort Lauderdale Eye Institute. In this video, we’re going to talk about ptosis.
Ptosis is a very common condition that we treat as oculoplastic surgeons. It refers to drooping of the upper eyelid due to a weakness in the eyelid muscle. When the eyelid droops close to the pupil or even covers the pupil, this condition is called ptosis, and it is caused by a problem with the muscle that lifts the eyelid.
There are different types of ptosis, and there are different ways to treat ptosis. We’re not going to discuss all of the different types in this video because the most common type we see is age-related ptosis. This occurs when there is stretching or weakening of the muscle over time.
We evaluate muscle function in order to determine which type of surgery is most appropriate. As oculoplastic surgeons, there are two most common types of ptosis repairs that we perform. One approach is done through the outside of the eyelid, using an incision through the skin to access and tighten the levator muscle. The skin incision is then closed.
The second type of ptosis repair is performed from the inside of the eyelid. This is considered a scarless approach because the surgical site is hidden. With this procedure, we primarily tighten a different muscle within the eyelid called Müller’s muscle.
These are the two most common types of ptosis repairs. In some cases, we may also need to use what’s called a frontalis sling. This creates an attachment between the eyebrow and the eyelid when the eyelid muscle is too weak to lift the eyelid on its own.
Ptosis repair is a very common surgery that we perform, and it is often covered by insurance. There are certain criteria that must be met to demonstrate that the drooping eyelids are affecting vision. This is evaluated using visual field testing, as well as photographs and measurements.
I hope this video was helpful in understanding ptosis.
