If you have droopy or low-lying eyelids, this can impact your appearance and even interfere with your vision. Acquired blepharoptosis, also known as ptosis or upper eyelid ptosis, is a condition marked by a droopy upper eyelid.
A new FDA-approved medication known as UPNEEQ treats low-lying lids. Here’s what you need to know about acquired blepharoptosis and your options for treating it.
What are the Signs of Acquired Blepharoptosis?
The most obvious sign of acquired blepharoptosis is a droopy upper eyelid. However, the condition does have a few other symptoms, including:
- Misaligned or crossed eyes
- Problems completely shutting the eye
- Double vision
- Eye irritation
- Eye fatigue
Most of these additional symptoms are present in more severe cases of acquired blepharoptosis that obstruct the patient’s vision.
What Causes Acquired Blepharoptosis?
There are a few potential causes of acquired blepharoptosis. It’s possible to be born with the condition in one or both of your eyelids. In these cases, the eye muscles don’t form properly.
However, you can also develop acquired blepharoptosis as a teen or an adult. The muscles that control your upper and lower eyelids can weaken due to injury, illness, nerve damage, or aging.
What are the Risks of Low-Lying Eyelids?
Minor cases of low-lying eyelids don’t pose a health risk, but they may cause the patient to feel self-conscious about their appearance, as droopy eyelids often cause the patient to appear tired. In ptosis cases where the upper eyelids block a portion of the eyes, this obscures your vision because your eyelids are literally blocking your eyeballs.
You may need to tilt your head back in order to see upwards, and you might struggle with daily activities, like reading, using a computer, and driving (activities that generally require you to look straight ahead).
How Do You Treat Blepharoptosis?
Cases of blepharoptosis that don’t impact the patient’s vision don’t require treatment unless the patient is unhappy with their appearance.
The treatment for more severe cases of blepharoptosis depends on whether the ptosis is causes by a disease or weak muscles. Acquired blepharoptosis that’s related to an underlying illness will require the illness to be treated for successful treatment. Surgery may also be necessary. For cases of blepharoptosis related to weakened muscles, surgery is the conventionally used treatment.
The surgical procedure for ptosis is performed under local anesthesia (this means you’re awake during the procedure). Your surgeon will cut small incisions in the upper eyelid to place small stitches in the upper eyelid muscle so that they can raise your eyelid.
The FDA has approved a prescription eyedrop known as UPNEEQ to treat acquired blepharoptosis in adults. UPNEEQ eyedrops are administered once a day. You’ll see results from the eyedrops within a couple of hours (sometimes even within a few minutes).
How Does UPNEEQ Treat Acquired Blepharoptosis?
UPNEEQ includes an ingredient known as RVL-1201 that targets a muscle in the eye responsible for elevating the upper eyelid. When this muscle is targeted, the eyelids appear less droopy and reveal more of the eye.
How Do You Use UPNEEQ?
You use UPNEEQ much like you do any eyedrop. Wash your hands, and shake your container of UPNEEQ. Tilt your head back, and gentle pull your lower eyelid down to make a small pocket.
Place the dropper over this pocket and squeeze a drop of UPNEEQ into the pocket. Avoid touching your eyeball. Close your eyes for a couple of minutes.
Follow your practitioner’s recommendations regarding UPNEEQ dosing.
Who Shouldn’t Use UPNEEQ?
If you wear soft contact lenses, you’ll need to administer your UPNEEQ drops when you aren’t wearing your contacts, as an ingredient in UPNEEDQ can stain your contact lenses. You’ll want to use your UPNEEQ at least 15 minutes before you put your contact lenses in.
Tell your practitioner if you have glaucoma, an eye infection, or blood circulation problems so they can determine if UPNEEQ is appropriate for you.
UPNEEQ can impact your blood pressure, so if you have low or high blood pressure or heart disease, discuss these conditions with your practitioner.
What Size Effects are Associated with UPNEEQ?
The most common side effects associated with UPNEEQ are:
- Watery eyes
- Burning eyes
- Blurred vision
- Mild stinging in your eyes
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Eye pain
You’re most likely to experience these side effects right after you administer your eye drops.
How to Get Started with UPNEEQ in Encino
If you have droopy, tired-looking eyelids that you want to improve the appearance of with UPNEEQ eyedrops, contact Glow Aesthetic Center in Encino to schedule your free consultation.