Non-Incisional Ptosis Correction

Overview

Adults commonly have surgery to correct upper eyelid ptosis as an outpatient procedure under local anesthetic. The decision to have an anesthesiologist present to provide intravenous sedation and provide supervised care is frequently made by the patient or surgeon. As little sedation as possible must be used since it will help the surgeon determine how much to elevate the eyelids.

Eyebrow elevation surgery is frequently performed before eyelid ptosis correction and/or blepharoplasty surgery if it is necessary. After the local anesthetic is administered, the upper eyelid crease (if present) is cut, and the levator muscle is found, stretched, and reinserted into the tarsal plate (the firm supporting structure of the upper lid). First, temporary sutures are applied. Typically, the patient is positioned upright during surgery to check for eyelid symmetry and ensure that the droopy eyelid is sufficiently corrected. Only eyelid surgeons with extensive training in the specifics of ptosis correction should do eyelid ptosis surgery, which is a more technically difficult procedure than blepharoplasty surgery (removal of excess eyelid tissue).