{"id":10193,"date":"2024-04-27T00:44:50","date_gmt":"2024-04-27T05:44:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/?p=10193"},"modified":"2024-04-27T00:47:10","modified_gmt":"2024-04-27T05:47:10","slug":"how-to-strengthen-droopy-eyelids-without-surgery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/how-to-strengthen-droopy-eyelids-without-surgery\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Strengthen Droopy Eyelids Without Surgery"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Droopy eyelids are one of the many changes associated with aging but can also be caused by nerve damage, a stroke, or other underlying medical conditions. Diagnosed as <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ptosis<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the optometry world, most cases of droopy or sagging eyelids are improved by regular eyelid exercises, which can prevent you from needing surgery.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Common Causes Of Droopy Eyelids (Ptosis)<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While droopy eyelids are most commonly the result of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/how-to-prioritize-eye-vision-health-at-50-and-beyond\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">age-related changes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, they can also be caused by more serious conditions. When one eyelid droops, we call it <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">unilateral ptosis<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; if both lids sag, it\u2019s called <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bilateral ptosis<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Age-related ptosis occurs slowly but progressively over time and will be noticed and addressed by your optometrist during annual vision exams. This type of natural sagging is largely due to loss of collagen, which decreases skin elasticity, and stretching\/weakening of the levator muscle - responsible for lifting the eyelid.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some other causes of drooping eyelids are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stroke<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nerve damage<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eye injury<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brain tumor or cancer (very rare)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A stye that\u2019s straining the eyelid (this will resolve on its own)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Incorrect placement of Botox injections<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Certain autoimmune diseases<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Glaucoma (due to loss of fat in the eye)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diabetes<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Children may also experience ptosis, known as congenital (inherited) ptosis. A child with congenital ptosis is more likely to develop a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aoa.org\/healthy-eyes\/eye-and-vision-conditions\/amblyopia?sso=y\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lazy eye (amblyopia)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ptosis Isn\u2019t Painful or Associated With Additional Muscle Weakness<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most cases of ptosis are not painful or associated with any other muscle weakness in the body (except children with a lazy eye). <\/span><b>If you experience a sudden or acute onset, contact your optometrist immediately to rule out things like stroke, nerve damage, or some other type of trauma.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You should also contact your physician if drooping eyelids are associated with:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Compromised vision or double vision<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eye redness along with pain or discomfort<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Muscle weakness elsewhere, such as your cheek, face, shoulder, arms, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it\u2019s natural for eyelids to sag a bit over time, significant sagging compromises vision. That\u2019s why your optometrist may recommend <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/eye-exercises-to-improve-vision\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cphysical therapy\u201d for the eyes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> - in the form of eyelid exercises. When performed daily, these may improve sagging lids and vision.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the exercises are ineffective, the optometrist will discuss surgical procedures to improve the sagging lid and surrounding skin.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Five Exercises To Strengthen Droopy Eyelids<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some exercises you can do at home if you notice the first signs of droopy eyelids. In addition to sagging lids and skin, you may also <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/dry-eye-prevention-and-treatment\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">experience dry or watery eyes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, so these exercises may improve those symptoms, too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gentle eye massages<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To begin, warm up your eyes. If you feel like it, create a warm compress with a clean damp cloth and let it rest on the eyes for a minute or two. This helps bring blood to the area and increase circulation. The warmth also prepares the muscles and nerves for their workout. Use your fingertips to gently massage the area around your eyes and your temples (but avoid rubbing your eyes).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We recommend using this technique multiple times per day, especially as part of your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/prevent-eye-strain-do-you-honor-the-20-20-20-rule\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">20-20-20 routine to prevent eye strain<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> while working on the computer, using your phone, or reading or writing for long periods of time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Startled eyes to strengthen droopy eyelids<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This exercise forces your upper eyelids into dramatic action. All you have to do is quickly open your eyes as wide as you can and then go back to normal again. Do these in a series of short bursts, but allow your eyes to return to their resting position between each \u201cstartled eye\u201d pose so your lid has to do the full workload every time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sonic muscle stimulation (via your electric toothbrush)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have an electric toothbrush, purchase a separate, soft head to be used for eyelid muscle stimulation. Then, with your eyes closed, use the toothbrush to stimulate the eye, being careful to keep the bristles out of the eye.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This direct stimulation activates the eye muscle, forcing small muscle fibers to move more than normal. It\u2019s thought that this helps to activate and strengthen them.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eyelid resistance exercises<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you lift weights at home or in the gym, you add resistance that strengthens the muscles. Studies have shown that stroke patients who diligently perform eyelid resistance exercises see an improvement in their droopy lids.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this case, open your eyes wide and then use your fingers to hold the upper lids in place while trying to close them. The resistance from your fingers is like a weight for the levator muscle. Do this for a couple of seconds at a time, at least ten times per session.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other things you can do to increase eyelid resistance are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rapidly blinking the eyes and then opening them wide again (called forcible blinks).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rolling the eyes around one way and then the other also helps the eyelids work.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try to do a series of these exercises at least twice or three times per day.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eyepatch exercise<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This exercise is most commonly recommended for individuals with unilateral ptosis (only one eyelid droop). Wear a patch on the non-drooping eye if it\u2019s safe to do so (not while driving or out in public). We do the same thing to support vision health in children with lazy eyes or crossed eyes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wearing a patch on the stronger eye forces the weaker eye and eye muscles to work harder, strengthening the eye muscles and the eyelids.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have Droopy Eyelids? Visit Eye to Eye Family Vision Care<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does someone in your family have droopy eyelids? <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schedule an appointment at Eye to Eye Family Vision Care.<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> We\u2019ll help you determine why the lids droop, try to strengthen droopy eyelids, and if necessary, we can also talk to you about surgical treatment options.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Droopy eyelids are one of the many changes associated with aging but can also be caused by nerve damage, a stroke, or other underlying medical conditions. Diagnosed as ptosis in the optometry world, most cases of droopy or sagging eyelids are improved by regular eyelid exercises, which can prevent you from needing surgery. Common Causes [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10197,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"How To Strengthen Droopy Eyelids Without Surgery | Eye to Eye","_seopress_titles_desc":"Most often, droopy eyelids can be strengthened and lifted via exercises, saving you from requiring surgery. Try these 5 exercises to improve droopy eyelids.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10193"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10193"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10193\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10199,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10193\/revisions\/10199"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10193"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10193"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}