Ptosis is

Ptosis is

• A. Drooping of the upper eyelid due to paralysis or disease
• B. Eyelid swelling
• C. Conjunctival redness
• D. Double vision without other symptoms

Answer: (A)

Ptosis is the drooping of the upper eyelid caused by weakness or dysfunction of the muscles that lift the lid (primarily the levator palpebrae superioris, with sympathetic input contributing a smaller lift). It can arise from nerve or muscle problems, such as oculomotor nerve palsy, myasthenia gravis, or mechanical factors, and can be congenital or acquired. This differs from eyelid swelling (edema), which is puffiness of the lid, conjunctival redness from irritation or infection, and diplopia (double vision) which reflects misalignment of the eyes rather than a drooped lid. Thus, the description of a drooping upper eyelid due to paralysis or disease best fits ptosis.

Ptosis is the drooping of the upper eyelid caused by weakness or dysfunction of the muscles that lift the lid (primarily the levator palpebrae superioris, with sympathetic input contributing a smaller lift). It can arise from nerve or muscle problems, such as oculomotor nerve palsy, myasthenia gravis, or mechanical factors, and can be congenital or acquired. This differs from eyelid swelling (edema), which is puffiness of the lid, conjunctival redness from irritation or infection, and diplopia (double vision) which reflects misalignment of the eyes rather than a drooped lid. Thus, the description of a drooping upper eyelid due to paralysis or disease best fits ptosis.