Ptosis repair raises an upper eyelid whose edge sits too low because the lifting muscle (levator) or its tendon is weak or stretched. The surgeon shortens or re-attaches that muscle, or in severe cases links the lid to the forehead muscle.
It restores the upper field of vision and a more alert, even appearance. Perfect symmetry cannot be promised: lid height is set within about a millimetre, and an adjustment is needed in a meaningful minority of cases.
What Droopy Eyelid Surgery (Ptosis Repair) involves
Before surgery the ophthalmologist measures the distance from the pupil reflex to the lid margin, the levator function in millimetres, and checks the response to phenylephrine drops, eye movements, tear film and the protective upward roll of the eye on closing. In the common levator advancement, a cut is made in the skin crease, the stretched tendon is found and re-attached to the tarsal plate with sutures, and you are asked to open your eyes on the table so that height and contour can be adjusted. In the posterior (Muller muscle-conjunctival resection) approach, a measured strip is removed from the inside of the lid with no skin scar. A frontalis sling uses silicone rod or tendon from the thigh.
Who is a good candidate for Droopy Eyelid Surgery (Ptosis Repair)?
The cause of the droop and the strength of the muscle decide the operation.
- Age-related (aponeurotic) ptosis, often after years of contact lens wear or eye surgery
- A lid that covers part of the pupil and blocks upper vision
- Congenital ptosis, including in children when vision development is threatened
- Stable ptosis following nerve palsy or trauma, after at least 6 months of observation
- Ptosis combined with excess skin, treated together
It is usually not the right choice if:
- Ptosis that varies during the day, until myasthenia gravis has been excluded
- A new droop with a change in pupil size or double vision, which needs urgent neurological assessment
- Severe dry eye or poor eye closure
- Heaviness caused only by excess skin or a low brow, which needs blepharoplasty or a brow lift instead
- Progressive muscle diseases, where only a cautious lift is safe
Technique options
- Levator advancement (anterior): For good muscle function; adjustable during surgery.
- Muller muscle-conjunctival resection: For mild ptosis that responds to the drop test; no skin scar and predictable.
- Levator resection: A larger shortening for moderate function, common in congenital cases.
- Frontalis sling: For poor muscle function; the brow lifts the lid.
- Combined blepharoplasty: Removes excess skin at the same time.
What happens during your treatment
Adults usually have local anaesthetic with light sedation so they can cooperate; children need general anaesthetic. Surgery takes 45 to 90 minutes for both sides. It is a day case, and you leave with ointment and sometimes a pad on the eye.
Preparing for your trip
Plan for 7 to 10 days in Istanbul. Your surgeon reviews photographs and your medical history before you book, and you meet in person the day before surgery for examination, marking and consent with a professional interpreter.
- Stop smoking and nicotine at least four weeks before and after surgery; it is the single biggest avoidable cause of wound problems
- Tell the team about every medicine and supplement you take; blood thinners, some herbal products and hormone treatment may need to be paused on your doctor's advice
- Arrange for someone to travel with you or to be reachable, and keep the first days at home free of work and lifting
- Book a changeable return flight; your surgeon confirms when you are fit to fly
Recovery and results
Bruising and swelling last 1 to 2 weeks; stitches are removed at about a week. The eye may not close fully at night for some weeks, so lubricating drops by day and ointment at night are essential. Lid height continues to settle for 6 to 12 weeks, and any revision is usually considered after 3 months unless the early position is clearly wrong.
- Back to everyday activity: 1 to 2 weeks
- When results show: Lift visible at once; final height at 6 to 12 weeks
- How long they last: Usually long-lasting; may drift slowly over many years
Safety, risks and revision policy
The main risks relate to lid height and the health of the eye surface.
- Under-correction or over-correction requiring a revision, in roughly 5 to 15 in 100 cases
- Asymmetry of height or contour
- Incomplete eye closure with dry eye or corneal irritation
- A droop appearing in the other lid once the first is lifted
- Bleeding or infection; vision-threatening bleeding behind the eye is very rare
- Change in spectacle prescription from altered lid pressure
Every written proposal arranged through Clinic-Y states what the clinic covers if a correction is needed. Ask for it before you book, not after.
Cost of Droopy Eyelid Surgery (Ptosis Repair) in Türkiye
Clinic-Y does not publish a single price for Droopy Eyelid Surgery (Ptosis Repair), because the honest figure depends on your case. What moves it:
- One lid or both
- Technique, including a sling with implant material
- Local with sedation or general anaesthetic
- Combined skin removal or brow surgery
- Allowance for possible adjustment
Send your photographs or reports and you receive written, all-inclusive proposals from suitable teams, side by side. Reviewing your case is free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this cosmetic or medical surgery?
Both apply. If the lid blocks vision it is functional surgery; mild cases are often treated for appearance.
How is it different from blepharoplasty?
Blepharoplasty removes skin and fat. Ptosis repair works on the muscle that lifts the lid. Many people need one and not the other.
What if the lids look uneven afterwards?
Early swelling causes temporary unevenness. If a real difference remains, a small adjustment can be done, ideally by the same surgeon, so ask how revisions would be handled for a visiting patient.