Home Care:

Below is a list of recommendations based on the various causes of eye drooping:

• Caused by aging -- no treatment is necessary, unless it affects your vision.
• Caused by an allergic reaction -- consult your doctor about antihistamine or steroid treatment.
• Caused by nerve injury -- consult your doctor about surgical correction.

For all other causes -- follow your health care provider's recommendations.

Call your health care provider if:

Contact your health care provider if:

• Eyelid drooping is affecting your appearance or vision
• One eyelid suddenly droops or closes
• It is associated with other symptoms, such as double vision

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

Your health care provider will get a medical history and perform a physical examination.

Medical history questions may include:

• Are both eyelids affected or just one?
• How long has this been present?
• Is it getting worse or staying the same?
• Is it present all of the time or only sometimes?
• What other symptoms do you have?

The physical examination may include a detailed assessment of nerve functioning.

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

• Slit-lamp examination
• Tensilon test

Interventions:

Surgery may be necessary to correct problems with the muscles that open the eyelid (levator muscle dysfunction).

You may get special spectacle frames that suspend the eyelid by traction with a wire. Usually these frames help patients with temporary, partial paralysis, or those who are not good candidates for surgery.

After seeing your health care provider:

You may want to add a diagnosis related to eyelid drooping to your personal medical record.