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Ptosis (droopy eyelid) repair
Ptosis repair is usually completed under local anesthesia in adults. I make an incision in the drooping eyelid, and carefully advance and tighten the levator muscle, which elevates the upper eyelid. The eyelid is often carefully compared to the opposite eye in terms of lid height in awake patients, however, this is not possible in patients under general anesthesia (infants and young children). Once the lid height is secured in the desired location, the eyelid incision is closed with tiny sutures. One or both eyes may need to be treated.
Most patients will tolerate the procedure very well and have a rapid recovery. Cold ice packs may need to be applied to the operated eyelid for the first 48 hours following surgery. Antibiotic ointments applied to the incision are recommended. The elevation of the eyelid will often be immediately noticeable, though in some cases bruising and swelling will obscure this finding. Most patients will have sutures that need removing about a week following surgery. In children, absorbable sutures are often used. The bruising and swelling associated with the surgery will usually resolve in two to three weeks. Some patients may need adjustment of the sutures to better align the lid height.
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