Ptosis is a condition that causes the upper eyelid to droop over the eye, when the muscle that lifts isn’t working properly; this gives the eye a sleepy look. Congenital ptosis is when a child is born with the condition, because the muscle regulating the upper eyelid didn’t develop properly. It is the most common form of ptosis in children, although an eye injury or a nerve or muscle condition could also cause ptosis in children not born with it. Treatment options range from doing nothing with mild cases to corrective ptosis surgery.
First, you’ll want to have your child properly diagnosed. The process will probably be a referral to an ophthalmologist, an eye specialist, from your regular family doctor or family eye doctor. Your child’s eyesight will be checked, diagnostic tests will be performed, and photos and measurements of his or her eyelids will be taken. Once a diagnosis is made, the range of treatment will span from doing nothing to getting corrective upper eyelid surgery.
In some cases, ptosis surgery falls into the category of cosmetic procedures if it’s mild, but more often congenital ptosis requires eyelid surgery to correct it. Although in adults, upper eyelid surgery is generally performed with local anesthetic, children will always receive general anesthesia for obvious reasons. During the ptosis surgery, a small incision is made in the crease of the upper eyelid, so the muscles can be shortened. After the upper eyelid surgery, the incision is closed with dissolving stitches.
The best plastic surgeons in Miami for this kind of procedure are those who specialize in ophthalmic procedures, including upper eyelid surgery. A Miami cosmetic surgeon whose specialty is ptosis surgery ensure that your child’s vision will no longer be impaired by a drooping eyelid and that scarring will be minimal. Even for those children whose conditions are mild enough not to interfere with vision, cosmetic procedures for ptosis help children grow into more confident adults.