Eyelid asymmetry can be caused by aging, where the fatty tissues in the eye area and the muscles gradually lose their taut structure. This can lead to ptosis which is a developmental condition in which the muscle that helps control eyelid movement (levator muscle) weakens.
Doing so can cause the eyelid muscles to loosen up over time and droop down, making it look uneven with the unaffected eye.
If you have experienced an injury to the eye area during sports or an accident, you may notice that your eyelids become asymmetrical over time. This is known as Enophthalmos where an injury causes the space behind the eye to be dislodged. Enophthalmos causes the eye to sink into the eye socket, resulting in an asymmetrical appearance.
Medical conditions such as proptosis, which is the bulging of either or both of the eyes can also create the look of eyelid asymmetry. It is a condition that is caused by Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder which affects the patient from a young age. Patients with proptosis experience swelling behind the eyes as a result of the body’s immune system attacking its own cells. The resulting eyelid asymmetry depends on how much the affected eye protrudes outwards and the overall facial impression that the patient wants to correct.
You may be suffering from eyelid asymmetry if you have:
Patients with droopy eyelids that lead to eyelid asymmetry can be treated in Singapore through ptosis surgery. It is a permanent plastic surgery procedure where the levator muscle (eyelid muscle that helps to control movement) is surgically tightened or attached to other muscles to help support and raise the drooping eyelid.
While ptosis surgery is more functional as it aims to correct obscured vision due to the weakened eyelid, it is also a highly effective method for aesthetic treatment of asymmetrical eyelids.
A blepharoplasty is another surgical method of correcting eyelid asymmetry. It is not the same as ptosis surgery as it is focused on removing excess eyelid skin, fat or muscle on the upper and lower eyelid for aesthetic purposes. It is also a permanent treatment option to improve the look of your eyes.
During an upper blepharoplasty, a small incision is made above the eyelid fold to lift up sagging skin. During a lower blepharoplasty, an incision is made just below your lash line or inside the lower eyelid to create a more even look.
Both an upper and lower blepharoplasty can be done together or separately depending on the patient’s individual facial features and the extent of asymmetry that needs to be corrected.
Botox, also known as botulinum toxin, is an injectable that is primarily targeted to treat wrinkles and fine lines on the face by relaxing the muscles that cause them to appear. However, Botox can also be used to treat the look of asymmetrical eyelids by lifting the eyebrow above the affected eyelid. This effect can last for about 3 to 4 months and has no downtime. Patients should go for maintenance treatments depending on the treatment plan you and your doctor have formulated should you wish to improve the look of your asymmetrical eyelids without having to undergo any surgery.
