Ptosis is when the upper eyelid droops over the eye. The eyelid may droop just a little, or so much that it covers the pupil (the black dot at the center of your eye that lets light in). Ptosis can limit or even completely block normal vision.
Adults get ptosis (called involutional or acquired ptosis) when the levator muscle stretches or separates away from their eyelid. This can be caused by aging or an eye injury. Sometimes ptosis happens as a side effect after certain eye surgery. Rarely, diseases or tumors can affect the eyelid muscle, causing ptosis.
There is a new prescription eye drop for some adults with acquired ptosis. The medication—oxymetazoline— targets the muscle that raises the eyelid. In some people with acquired ptosis, the eyelid opens wider after using the drops. It needs to be used every day to keep working.
Ptosis surgery is usually done as an outpatient procedure, which means you can go home the same day as the surgery. A local anesthesia will be used to numb your eye and the area around it.