Dry Eye Treatment and Ptosis Eyelid Surgery

The tears your eyes produce are necessary for overall eye health and clear vision. Dry eye means that your eyes do not produce enough tears or that you produce tears which do not have the proper chemical composition. Often, dry eye is part of the natural aging process. It can also be caused by blinking or eyelid problems, medications like antihistamines, oral contraceptives and antidepressants, a dry climate, wind and dust, general health problems like arthritis or Sjogren's Syndrome and chemical or thermal burns to your eyes.

If you have dry eye, your symptoms may include irritated, scratchy, dry, uncomfortable or red eyes, a burning sensation or feeling of something foreign in your eyes and blurred vision. Excessive dry eyes may damage eye tissue, scar your cornea (the front covering of your eyes) and impair vision and make contact lens wear difficult.

If you have symptoms of dry eye, see your optometrist for a comprehensive examination. Dry eye cannot be cured, but your optometrist can prescribe treatment so your eyes remain healthy and your vision is unaffected. Some treatments that your optometrist might prescribe include blinking more frequently, increasing humidity at home or work, using artificial tears and using a moisturizing ointment, especially at bedtime. In some cases, small plugs are inserted in the corner of the eyes to slow tear drainage. Sometimes, surgical closure of the drainage ducts may be recommended.

Ptosis Eyelid Surgery

Ptosis is a drooping upper eyelid that is often treated with a corrective procedure. In this condition, the border of the eyelid (part that contains the lashes) falls too low and may partially block vision. In severe cases, the lid may completely cover the pupil and the patient has to tilt his or her head back to see. Mild Ptosis does not always require treatment. However, it seldom improves over time and usually requires corrective surgery.

Ptosis may be a congenital condition (present at birth) or the result of an injury or neuromuscular disease (e.g., myasthenia gravis). Ptosis that develops in adults is usually related to the long-term effects of gravity and aging, which cause the tendon that attaches the levator (lifting) muscle to the eyelid to lose elasticity.

In adults, the underlying cause is determined and treated, if possible. Corrective surgery shortens or tightens the levator muscle and lifts the upper eyelid. In cases where the levator muscle is especially weak, the eyelid and the eyebrow may be lifted. The procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia that numbs the area around the eye. It is preferable for the patient to be awake to help the surgeon gauge how high to lift the lid.

Young children are usually given general anesthesia. If Ptosis is not too severe, surgical correction is generally performed between the ages of 3 and 5. Ptosis that interferes with vision is corrected at a younger age to help avoid Amblyopia.