Are your eyes currently drooping? Do you feel that you look tired even though you are not? Well, you might have a condition known as ptosis or drooping eye.
Ptosis is a pathological droopy eyelid condition. It can occur due to several factors such as age, trauma, or any other underlying medical condition. When ptosis affects only one eye, it is called unilateral ptosis. When both eyes are concerned, however, it is called bilateral ptosis.
Ptosis may come and go, or it can become permanent. If the ptosis is present at birth, it is known as congenital ptosis. If you develop ptosis later in life, it is known as acquired ptosis.
Droopy eyelids or ptosis can significantly reduce vision and obstruct your field of view. It depends on the severity of the condition, especially on how much it blocks the pupil.
Most cases of ptosis will resolve either on its own or through medical intervention.
Who is at risk of getting ptosis?
There are a myriad of factors that can cause your droopy eyelids or ptosis. These can range from natural causes to more significant medical conditions. Your doctor can help you decipher the exact cause of your ptosis.
Almost everyone can be susceptible to having ptosis. The case rates among men and women don’t have any significant differences. Ethnicities are also almost equally affected by ptosis as well.
However, it is essential to note that older adults are more susceptible to getting ptosis because of the natural aging process they have to go through. The levator muscle, the muscle responsible for lifting your eyelid stretches as you age. It causes the eyelid to droop eventually.
Bear in mind, though, that people in all age groups are affected by this condition. In some rare instances, infants are sometimes born with it.
The exact etiology of ptosis is much unknown. Still, on some occasions, it is due to trauma or some neurological conditions. Either way, having a consultation with your doctor is the best way to know what is causing your ptosis.
What are the symptoms of ptosis?
The most noticeable symptom of ptosis is that one or both your upper eyelids are sagging. In some instances, this sagging could hamper your vision. Most of the time, however, many people may not seem to notice their eyelid sagging. It may be barely noticeable, and the person usually ignores this condition.
Another symptom of ptosis is that you may have extremely dry or watery eyes. You may also notice that your face may look tired and exhausted. The major regions in which ptosis can affect will be the area around your eyes. You may or may not experience aching, which can make you look tired and exhausted.
In individuals with severe ptosis cases, they often resort to tilting their heads back to see most of the time, especially when having a conversation with a peer.
Your doctor will try to rule out other underlying conditions that may be causing your ptosis. He or she will investigate your persistent ptosis. If you notice migraine headaches or other health issues since you have seen your ptosis, tell your doctor during the consultation.
How does a doctor clinically diagnose ptosis?
Upon your visit to your doctor, he or she will most likely perform a physical examination and ask you about your medical history. Once this is done and you’ve explained the nature of how your eyelids are drooping, he or she may run some diagnostics to find the underlying cause of your ptosis.
Your doctor may perform a slit lamp exam to aid your doctor in taking a close look at your eye using a high-intensity light. Your eyes may be dilated during this procedure; therefore, you may experience some eye discomfort.
Another diagnostic exam that your doctor might use for diagnosing ptosis is the Tensilon test. Your doctor will inject a drug called Tensilon, otherwise known generically as edrophonium. It is administered intravenously.
Once the Tensilon is injected, your doctor will monitor your muscle strength by asking you to cross and uncross your legs or stand up and sit down several times. The injection will help your doctor rule out whether a condition called myasthenia gravis is causing your ptosis.
How is ptosis usually treated?
There is no one size fits all in the treatment of ptosis. The procedure is dependent on the underlying cause of your ptosis and how severe it is.
If, for example, it is congenital or is the result of your natural aging process, your doctor might give you the option of getting plastic surgery to treat your ptosis. However, if an underlying medical condition causes your ptosis, you will most likely be treated.
If your ptosis is severe and impedes your vision, you have to seek medical treatment. Your doctor might most probably recommend you having ptosis correction surgery.
What is a ptosis correction?
Ptosis correction in korea addresses the condition called blepharoptosis, which is also known as a sleepy eye. It happens when the levator muscle is weakening or because of impaired nerve impulses that connect to the muscle.
When you have ptosis, the eyelids are heavily covered due to the weak levator muscle that lifts your eyelids. It eventually causes the eyes to open smaller and lower.
Having a ptosis correction in korea can correct this problem. You can get a well-defined eye shape as if you are wearing circle lenses. If you get a ptosis correction, you can say goodbye to those sleepy-looking eyes.
How is it different from double eyelid surgery?
If you have only minor ptosis, regular double eyelid surgery will suffice. It will help improve the condition. However, for more severe cases, you may need ptosis correction.
When undergoing surgical treatment, most patients need an operation on their upper eyelid muscles or a length reducing operation on their Muller muscle. If you have a more severe ptosis condition, you can get it corrected using the frontalis muscle that moves your forehead.
The stark difference between ptosis correction and double eyelid surgery is that ptosis correction is for more advanced cases of drooping, while double eyelid surgery is for mild and minor cases.
Ptosis correction in korea requires more sophisticated and skilled techniques than mere double eyelid surgery. Therefore, it is best to find and consult an experienced plastic surgeon for the operation.
Types of ptosis correction
Incision or partial incision ptosis correction
Incision or partial incision ptosis uses a series of small cuts in your eyelid to regulate the force of opening of the eye. It ultimately makes the more prominent and more well-defined, thus giving way to a clearer look.
If your eyelids cover up your eyes to a great extent because of your weak eye muscles, you may always feel tired and exhausted. In this case, the ptosis correction operation is tailored to reduce the eyelid’s upper part to produce a more well-defined, large, and clearer-looking eye.
Incision or partial incision ptosis correction requires a great deal of sophistry since this is a delicate procedure. After all, it is intended to control the muscle deep in the eye.
Non-incision ptosis correction
In contrast to the incision or partial incision ptosis, non-incision ptosis uses threads. The thread is inserted into the eyelid without making cuts. It is then tied to the eye-opening muscles and the Muller muscle with a knot at the back of the eyelid to reinforce the eye-opening strength and give way to a more sharp-looking eye.
One pearl to this kind of ptosis correction is that no external scarring will occur since there is no damage to the eyelid tissue. There is also a short recovery time due to less bruising and swelling.
How much is ptosis correction in Korea?
The cost of ptosis correction in Korea is dependent on several factors, such as the type of ptosis correction that will be performed, the clinic where you will get the procedure, your doctor’s fee, and the deals that are available in that particular season.
In general, the patient is expected to pay about 3000 USD to 5000 USD for ptosis correction surgery.
Is ptosis correction permanent?
Yes, it is. Ptosis correction is permanent. However, follow-up consultations may be needed for the doctor to assess whether you may need additional treatment.
What is the recovery for ptosis correction?
Once a person undergoes ptosis surgery, it can take up to three months to recover fully from ptosis surgery.
For the first three days after the procedure, the patient should perform cold compresses to the area according to the doctor’s instructions. The area should be cleaned four to six times a day until the stitches are removed. The patient must follow these to avoid any infection from happening.
After about a week, you would need to go back to your doctor to remove your stitches. Doctors usually recommend that you take up to 10 days off of work for you to rest.
You can begin doing exercise in about three weeks after the surgery.
After two months, there might still be some swelling, but after three months, you will be fully healed.
FAQs
A local anesthetic will be applied to the area that will be treated. You are not required to be sedated or undergo general anesthesia.
For non-incision ptosis correction, the procedure usually takes roughly about 30 minutes. However, for incision or partial incision ptosis correction, it can take for as long as one hour and a half. There are still factors that could influence the length of the procedure, such as the complexity of your case.
There is no need for you to be hospitalized after the procedure. You can be released after the procedure. Make sure to arrange for someone to drive you home as you are still recovering.
Ptosis correction can yield satisfactory results. To have a thorough discussion of your outcomes, it is best to discuss with your plastic surgeon before the surgery. Make sure to discuss your treatment goals and aspirations.
Conclusion
If you ever had ptosis or a droopy eye, sometimes it can impede and hamper your vision. Aside from the fact that it makes you look tired and exhausted all the time, ptosis can entirely be distracting.
Most cases of ptosis are not medical emergencies; however, if you need surgery because of persistent ptosis, you may opt to get one in Korea where prices are significantly lower in other countries.
If you are interested in ptosis correction in korea, don’t hesitate to visit Clinic Search Korea for more information.