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Ptosis is drooping of the upper eyelid. If severe, it can
interfere with vision by covering the pupil of the eye. Usually,
ptosis is benign in nature and amenable to surgical treatment.
The type of operation depends on how weak the muscle lifting
the eye is. This
muscle is called the levator. Occasionally, ptosis is due
to more serious causes, mainly diseases affecting the muscles
or the nervous system.
There are four main procedures that can be employed to correct
ptosis.
Levator resection or plication:
This technique is used if the levator muscle is weak (children)
or due to slippage of the tendon from its attachment to the
eyelid (older people).
Brow suspension:
When the levator muscle is very weak, suspending it from
the eyebrow using silicon rod or mesh can lift the eyelid
up. Patient then controls the height of the eyelid by moving
the eyebrow up or down.
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