Ptosis is the medical term for drooping of the upper eyelid, which can affect one or both eyes.

A low upper lid can interfere with vision by affecting the top part of your visual field. You might also have difficulty keeping your eyelids open, eyestrain or eyebrow ache (from the increased effort needed to raise your eyelids), and fatigue, especially when reading. For some patients, ptosis poses a cosmetic problem.

Ptosis can either be present at birth (congenital), or appears later in life (acquired), following long-term contact lens wear, trauma, after cataract surgery or other eye operations. There are less common causes of a droopy eyelid, such as problems with the nerves or muscles.

Ptosis can be corrected by an operation that usually involves shortening the muscles or tendons that raise the eyelid. An incision is hidden in the naturally occurring skin crease, but sutures will be visible on the skin until they are removed one week after surgery.