Understanding ptosis repair

Lifting a droopy lid, opening your view.

Ptosis (droopy eyelid) can block vision, cause forehead strain, and age your face. Surgical repair tightens the muscle that lifts your lid — restoring a normal, symmetric eye opening.

What's happening

Tightening what time has stretched.

Your upper eyelid is lifted by a thin muscle called the levator. With age, injury, or certain conditions, the tendon of this muscle stretches or detaches — and the lid droops.

Ptosis repair shortens or reattaches this tendon. Small incisions hidden in the natural lid crease leave almost invisible scars. Both eyes usually look balanced within a few weeks.

What helps

Here's the plan —
and why it works.

Day of

The procedure

Local anesthesia. 30–60 minutes. You go home the same day with an ointment and ice pack.

Week 1

Swelling + bruising

Ice first 48 hours, then warm compresses. Sleep slightly elevated. Avoid heavy lifting.

Weeks 2–6

Rapid improvement

Swelling resolves, position settles. Most social activities comfortable by week 2.

Months 3+

Final result

Tissue fully healed, scar fades. Final lid position locked in.

Common questions

Honest answers to common questions.

Is this cosmetic or functional?+

Often both. Ptosis that blocks vision (measured with a visual field test) is considered functional and usually covered by insurance. Purely cosmetic ptosis repair is out-of-pocket.

Will I have visible scars?+

The incision hides in your natural upper lid crease — typically nearly invisible once healed. A few months of pink hue fades to white.

How's recovery?+

Swelling and bruising for about a week — worst at 48 hours, then rapidly improving. Ice first 48 hours, then warm. Most patients return to desk work in 5–7 days.

Can both eyelids be done together?+

Yes, and often preferred for symmetry. Both eyes heal on the same timeline and match better.

What if it's too high or too low?+

Small asymmetries are common early on and usually settle. If significant asymmetry persists past 3 months, a minor adjustment procedure can fine-tune. Happens in <10%.

Lifting a droopy lid, opening your view.

Tightening what time has stretched.

Here's the plan —
and why it works.

The procedure

Swelling + bruising

Rapid improvement

Final result

Call us if

Honest answers to common questions.

We're here when you need us.

Lifting a droopy lid, opening your view.

Tightening what time has stretched.

Here's the plan —and why it works.

The procedure

Swelling + bruising

Rapid improvement

Final result

Call us if

Honest answers to common questions.

We're here when you need us.

Here's the plan —
and why it works.