Our eyelids are, essentially, two folds of thin skin, but they have a couple of very important purposes to serve. They not only protect the eyes from foreign elements, dryness, and excessive strain, but they also make sure that the tears are spread evenly to keep the eyes hydrated when we are asleep. With age, however, they start drooping and can even impair vision in the more severe cases leading to a condition called ptosis. Sometimes, it also happens due to some underlying medical condition, and one must seek ptosis treatment to fix the issue of droopy eyelids, bringing them back to normal.
Home Remedies For Ptosis Eyelids: Do they Work?
Ptosis usually happens due to some disruption caused to the eyelid muscle or when the communication of the nerves with this muscle is affected somehow. That’s the reason why its treatment needs something better than simple home remedies. In fact, in extreme cases, one may need to undergo ptosis correction surgery to get their eyelids back to normal.
Many social media users and websites often suggest different home remedies to treat the condition naturally. Even though most of them don’t cause any harm, they don’t improve the condition as the problem is not nipped in the bud. Some common home remedies for ptosis eyelids include the following:
- Put cold cucumber slices, regular tea bags, or any other cold compresses on the eyes: It’s true that cold compresses can have a soothing effect on puffy eyes or swollen eyelids, but they are not effective ptosis treatment. The reduced puffiness does at times, make the eye appear bigger and brighter.
- Eat foods like carrots or grapes: While eye health can be improved by consuming healthy, whole foods, they are not proven to fix the neuromuscular malfunction that causes ptosis.
- Consume supplements like lutein or B12: Currently, no scientific evidence exists to prove the effectiveness of these supplements for ptosis.
- Use eye patches: Eye patches are often prescribed for kids with amblyopia and they can help with that condition. However, these patches aren’t proven to help fix drooping eyelids that are due to ageing.
- Perform facial exercises: Commonly known as “face yoga”, facial exercises aren’t effective when it comes to treating ptosis. The best one can achieve with these exercises is a slight reduction in the drooping of the eyelid. In fact, even that’s a short-lived effect.
Unfortunately, no home remedy can be used as an effective ptosis treatment. In fact, most of them don’t improve the condition at all. To date, the only treatment proven to be effective against ptosis is ptosis correction surgery. That’s, probably, the reason why most patients suffering from cosmetic ptosis prefer living with this condition and try to adapt to it the best they can.
Eye Exercises For Ptosis Eyelids
For individuals with more tired-looking and lax eyes or eyelids appearing heavier, certain exercises for droopy eyelids might be helpful. Even though the effectiveness of these eye workouts for ptosis hasn’t been proven through many scientific studies, researchers agree that using a muscle often helps counteract muscle deterioration and weakness. As a result, greater muscle strength could be achieved and a lifting effect can be created for the drooping eyelids.
So, here’s how one should perform eye exercises for ptosis:
- Warmup
Cleansing, gently massaging, and warming the eyelids, without even getting into a workout routine, is proven to help increase blood circulation and boost nerve responses. It’s also a way to prepare the eyelids for a workout as the muscles become more flexible and softer.
- Basic Muscle Stimulation
Ptosis can be reduced with direct muscle stimulation alone whether it is done by concentrated eye movement or using a stimulating device like an electronic toothbrush. The brush creates a mechanical pressure that induces a reaction in the small eyelid muscles. Dedicating several minutes a day to stimulating eyelid muscles can help with ptosis.
- Resistance Exercise
Forced eyelid workouts every hour can improve drooping eyelids. Raise the eyebrows to work eyelid muscles and place a finger underneath to hold them up for a few seconds before forcefully closing them. It creates a resisting effect just the way weight lifting does. Eyelid muscles can also be worked with quick and forcible blinks or eye rolls.
- Eye Patch Workout
When only one of the eyelids is drooping, people often tend to perform more intensive tasks using the other one. To ensure that the weaker, drooping eyelid gets the maximum possible natural workout, the good eye can be covered with an eye patch. That means the patient can perform several eyelid workouts every day without even noticing that they are doing so.
Fixing Ptosis Eyelids With Surgery
When the eyelids droop to an extent that they start impairing vision, the ptosis correction surgery may be the best solution to fix it. The correction surgery aims at shortening and even tightening the levator muscles that actually cause the problem in the first place. As a result, the eyelid is lifted to up the eyes and the eyesight improves instantly.
Both incisional and non-incisional methods of ptosis correction are in use today and the best approach is taken depending on the severity of the condition. Here’s is what each method may be appropriate for:
Non-Incisional Surgery For Ptosis Correction
During this procedure, the surgeon reduces the length of the muscle by tying some part of it with the help of a suture. A tightening effect is created by this length reduction and the eyelids rise higher when opened.
Incisional Surgery For Ptosis Correction
This procedure is the most appropriate for severe conditions when the extensively lengthened and stretched muscles have to be trimmed short. The muscles are then pinned upwards to lift the eyelids higher when opened.
How is Ptosis Correction Surgery Performed?
The ptosis correction surgery is performed under local anaesthesia or light sedation to keep the patient relaxed, and the eyelids still, during the process. The surgeon pre-marks the surgery site and an incision is made along the patient’s eyelid to reveal the levator muscle as well other tissue of the eyelid. Different approaches can be used here to fix the issue depending on what has caused the problem in the first place. In some cases, levator resection is performed while in the others requires shortening the levator aponeurosis.
When You Should Consider Surgery?
When the sagging eyelids start interfering with one’s ability to see and different exercises for droopy eyelids don’t seem to fix the issue, one should consult with their doctor and look into medical treatments including ptosis correction surgery.
Surgery is recommended for individuals with:
- Droopy eyelids covering over 20 % of the pupil
- Excess skin and presence of sagging eyelids
- Tired looking eyes even after having sufficient rest
- Frequent headaches caused by overworked forehead and brow muscles
Conclusion
Droopy eyelids or ptosis is common and is often caused by natural ageing. While they can be treated for cosmetic reasons, one must seek ptosis treatment when they start to impair vision. Even though some exercises can be used to strengthen eyelid muscles, most basic home remedies don’t seem to be effective in treating ptosis. If all else fails, ptosis correction surgery is the last resort, and it can improve the condition significantly. Different surgery approaches can be taken depending on the severity of the condition.
About Dream Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery
Bespoke surgical for cosmetic or medical reasons is what Dream covers to bring out the beauty in every individual. Going beyond the aesthetics and working on physical anomalies are what we value the most in leading our patients to cherish self-improvement and confident lifestyles.
Derived from Associate Professor Vincent Yeow’s long-standing experience performing plastic surgery in Singapore, our treatment plans deliver physical remodelling in our patients’ favour. One of the notable remodellings is droopy eyelid correction. The ptosis surgery used for treatment eventually fixes drooping eyelids, improves vision and enhances appearance.
Most importantly, as a trustworthy plastic surgery and aesthetic clinic, we treasure positive and natural outcomes for each individual. We will ensure to deliver the beauty refinement of your dream without compromising your safety and privacy.
