What could be causing your low-lying lids?
It is often said that the eyes are the focal point of the face. So, what happens when you feel like your eyes are letting you down (literally)? It's time to talk about ptosis, or what is more commonly known as low-lying lids.
We don't often think about what goes into the process of blinking (we do it all the time!), but it's actually a pretty complex process to open and close the eye, and incorporates many different muscles. For millions of people (often estimated somewhere between 10 and 20 percent of adults), the muscles in the upper eyelids have stretched and weakened, giving the appearance of droopy or sagging lids.
But what's causing this widespread eye drooping? Lots of things can cause low-lying lids, from genetic predispositions, to aging, to more severe diseases or conditions. Things you do every day can impact ptosis, too, like contact lens use, eye rubbing, elective eye surgery, and even neurotoxin injections. You read that right – one of the most common side effects of neuromodulators is brow and eyelid ptosis. While ensuring you're getting your procedure done from a highly trained injector can decrease your risk of complication, there is always a possibility of ptosis occurring.
If you think you may have acquired ptosis, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider to get an official diagnosis and learn more about addressing your low-lying lids.