children born with
ptosis have what is called congenital
ptosis. this can be caused by problems with the muscle that lifts the eyelid (called the levator muscle).
the most obvious sign of
ptosis is a drooping eyelid. another sign is when the upper eyelid creases do not line up evenly with each other. a child with
ptosis may tip their head back, lift up their chin, or raise their eyebrows to try to see better. over time, these movements can cause head and neck problems.
sometimes, a child born with
ptosis can also have other eye-related problems. they can include eye movement issues, eye muscle disease, tumors (on the eyelid or elsewhere) and other problems.
having
ptosis puts a child at risk for vision problems. if the child’s eyelid droops so much that it blocks vision, amblyopia (also called “lazy eye”) can develop. one eye will have better vision than the other. a child with
ptosis can also have astigmatism, where they see blurry images. the child may also develop misaligned (crossed) eyes.