Why Do My Eyelids Look Droopy?

There’s a saying: The eyes are the windows to the soul. Whether that’s true or not is up for debate, but one thing’s for sure: The way your eyes look can affect your physical appearance. When your eyelids droop or sag, you can look tired, worn out, and older than you want.

Eyelid drooping (or ptosis) tends to become more common with age, but like other physical signs of aging, you don’t have to sit back and let your eyelids sag. There are solutions that can improve your appearance, your confidence, and in some cases, your vision.

Rodrigo Belalcazar MD, PLLC, at Advanced Eye Center in Hialeah, Florida, helps correct droopy eyelids, gently lifting them and tightening sagging skin so you look more alert, youthful, energized, and attractive. If your eyelids are drooping or sagging, here’s how state-of-the-art eyelid procedures like blepharoplasty or Plexr® skin tightening can help.

Why eyelids droop

Your eyelid position is determined by several factors. Muscles around your eyes and forehead help your lids stay elevated so your vision stays clear. Nerves in the same areas control those muscles, helping you open and close your eyes. And, of course, your skin elasticity also influences your lid position, along with the contours of your eyelids.

As noted, aging is a major cause of sagging, droopy eyelids. As we get older, our skin loses its natural elasticity and firmness. Underlying muscles lose their tonicity as well. 

Combined, these effects mean our eyelids eventually drift downward, leading to drooping upper lids and under-eye bags. If you smoke or spend a lot of time in the sun, these effects can be magnified, thanks to the damaging effects of nicotine and ultraviolet exposure.

Less commonly, lid injuries or underlying medical conditions can alter your lid position, causing them to drift downward. And for some people, genetic factors play a role in the way their kids look and the changes they undergo as they get older.

Lifting sagging eyelids

Drooping eyelids can significantly block your vision in front or from the corners of your eyes (your peripheral vision). In these instances, it’s important to lift your lids and restore a more elevated position so you can see normally again.

But even if your drooping lids don’t affect your vision, you may still want to have them lifted. Elevating your eyelids can banish that perpetually sleepy appearance, helping you look and feel more energized and youthful. 

While blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) can help reposition weak or lax muscles or remove excess fatty deposits, many people benefit from Plexr treatment designed to tone loose, sagging skin. 

Restore your youthful eyelids

Sagging eyelids can alter the way you look, impair your vision, and take a toll on your self-confidence. To learn more about solutions that can help, call 305-707-6011 or book an appointment online with Dr. Belalcazar and our team at Advanced Eye Center today.