How is congenital ptosis treated?
In most cases, the treatment for childhood ptosis is surgery, although there are a few rare disorders which can be corrected with medications. In determining whether or not surgery is necessary and what procedure is the most appropriate, an ophthalmologist must consider a few important factors: • the child’s age • whether one or both eyelids are involved • measurement of the eyelid height • the eyelid’s lifting and closing muscle strength • observation of the eye’s movements. During surgery, the levators, or eyelid lifting muscles, are tightened. In severe ptosis, when the levator is extremely weak, the lid can be attached or suspended from under the eyebrow so that the forehead muscles can do the lifting. Mild or moderate ptosis usually does not require surgery early in life. Children with ptosis, whether they have had surgery or not, should be examined annually by an ophthalmologist for amblyopia, refractive disorders, and associated conditions. Even after surgery, focusing problems
