Your child’s eyes are a beautiful window into their personality, emotions, and self-expression. They can communicate all sorts of emotions, including joy, sadness, curiosity, or pain. However, if your child has abnormally droopy upper eyelids – a condition called ptosis – it can obscure their gaze, causing their sight and communication to suffer.
Some cases of ptosis are mild enough that they don’t obstruct vision. However, moderate to severe ptosis can affect your child’s ability to make eye contact, make it hard for them to see, and lead to unwanted complications.
There are several causes of pediatric ptosis.
Congenital: Most children who develop ptosis have the genetic form of this disorder, meaning it developed at birth or during infancy. Congenital ptosis can result from a problem with the levator muscle, which keeps the eyelid lifted when your child’s eyes are open, or the result of nerve problems in the affected eye.
Disease-related: If ptosis develops in your child’s toddlerhood and early adolescence, it can be a red flag of a more serious medical condition. Ptosis can signify an autoimmune disorder, muscle disease, nerve problems, or a local eye issue.