upper eyelid that contains the lashes falls too low. When the

edge of the eyelid falls and covers part of the pupil, it blocks

the upper part of your vision. In severe cases, it is necessary

to tilt one's head back or lift the eyelid with a finger in order to

see out from under the drooping lid.

         A drooping eyelid can occur as a congenital defect in

which the muscle that lifts the eyelid fails to develop properly.

Surgery to repair such a congenital defect involves either

shortening the weak muscle or, in severe cases, using a "sling"

operation to elevate the eyelid.

         In most cases, a drooping upper eyelid results from aging of previously normal structures. Typically, the tendon that

attaches the "lifting" muscle to the eyelid stretches and the

eyelid falls too low. 

        Surgical correction of a drooping upper eyelid that was once normal involves repairing the stretched tendon.