At this point, measures can be taken to correct the eye problems. In order to fix the lid, the patient has to undergo a procedure known as lid retraction. During the procedure, a cut is made between the muscle that is pulling the lid back and the lid itself. This relieves the lid and allows it to stretch back to its normal placement. At this point, though, something has to be inserted into the space to keep the two from healing back together.
Doctors traditionally do a procedure known as a hard palate graft.
A piece of the roof of the mouth is taken out and placed in the space. While this is effective in correcting the eye, the patient is often left with a painful hole in their mouth which takes a few weeks to heal. Also, this increases the risk of infection where the palate is removed. Now, doctors are beginning to use a donor material to fill the space. Doctors have turned to a material called allograft.