Unilateral Eyelid Issue

[j7715]

HI,
Each morning I wake up and my eyes appear identical.  Within an hour, more and more of the left eyelid is showing and it stays this way all day.  Not sure if it's swollen or ptosis.  Looking back at pictures, it has been this way for about 5 years but now is starting to bother me.  I've had a CT on sinuses and tests for thyroid issues.  Next step is an MRI.  Any idea what causes this?  I am so self conscious and embarrassed by this.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Then you may not have droopy lid (ptosis) but baggy eyelids (dermatochalasis)

JCH MD

[j7715]

Actually, I should have also asked:  Could this be ptosis even though the lid isn't covering any part of my eye?  The same amount of eye is showing in each eye, it's just the eyelid that is showing more in one eye.  Thanks!

[j7715]

thanks so much!

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

See a neuro ophthalmologist  Find one at www.aao.org   that is called acquired ptosis (droopy upper lid). There are a number of diseases that can cause it like myasthenia gravis or thyroid eye disease.  Or it can be a under-developed or rapidly aging levator eyelid muscle

JCH MD