What is the Difference Between Lagophthalmos and Ptosis

The key difference between lagophthalmos and ptosis is that lagophthalmos is a medical condition that causes the incomplete or defective closure of the eyelids, while ptosis is a medical condition that causes the upper eyelid to droop over the eye.

Lagophthalmos and ptosis are two disorders due to defective eyelids. These conditions occur in both children as well as adults. Abnormalities of the eyelid structures usually occur in association with many craniofacial abnormalities. However, both these conditions can be treated through surgeries with local anaesthesia.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Lagophthalmos
3. What is Ptosis
4. Similarities – Lagophthalmos and Ptosis
5. Lagophthalmos vs Ptosis in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Lagophthalmos vs Ptosis

What is Lagophthalmos?

Lagophthalmos is a medical condition that causes incomplete or defective closure of the eyelids. People with this condition cannot close their eyelids completely. Lagophthalmos can happen in one or both eyes. Lagophthalmos can be caused on its own due to facial nerves or damage to eyelids. Lagophthalmos can also be related to another type of medical disorder like ptosis or sagging eyelids. Sometimes, this condition is a complication of surgical treatments like blepharoplasty or ptosis repair (eyelid surgery).

There are three types of lagophthalmos: nocturnal (happen in the night), paralytic (due to paralysis), and mechanical (due to structural or trauma). The signs and symptoms of lagophthalmos include eyes that water or that are dry, feeling of something being struck in the eye, burning or pain in the eye, blurred vision, red eyes, sensitivity to light, and a sore on the cornea of the eye.

Lagophthalmos can be diagnosed through a series of tests that involve inquiring about the patient’s health history, asking them to close their eyes, observing the force with which they close their eyes, measuring their eyelids, counting the frequency of their blinks, and noticing the extent to which their eyes close during a blink. Furthermore, treatment options for lagophthalmos include non-surgical methods (eye drops, ointment used at night, tape to keep lids closed at night, and wearing special glasses) and surgical methods (tarsorrhaphy, implanting gold or platinum weight on upper eyelids, upper eyelid surgery, lower eyelid surgery, and facial surgery).

What is Ptosis?

Ptosis is a medical condition that causes the upper eyelid to droop over the eye. It can happen in one or both eyes. The causes of this condition may include genetic factors, weakened muscles or ligaments that raise eyelids, damage to nerves that control the eyelids muscles, and previous eye surgery. The signs and symptoms of this condition include eyelid drooping, tilting the head back to try to see under the lid, raising the eyebrow to lift the eyelid, and the affected eyelid appearing smaller. There can be other symptoms if ptosis is caused due to another disease.

Moreover, ptosis can be diagnosed through medical history, family history, eye examination, CT scan, and MRI. Treatment options for ptosis are surgery (outpatient procedure with local anaesthesia), wearing an eye patch or special glasses, and using eye drops.

What are the Similarities Between Lagophthalmos and Ptosis?

Lagophthalmos and ptosis are two disorders due to defective eyelids.
These conditions occur in both children as well as adults.
Lagophthalmos and ptosis usually occur in association with many craniofacial abnormalities.
Both these conditions can be diagnosed through an eye examination.
They can be treated through surgeries with local anaesthesia.

What is the Difference Between Lagophthalmos and Ptosis?

Lagophthalmos is a medical condition that causes incomplete or defective closure of the eyelids, while ptosis is a medical condition that causes the upper eyelid to droop over the eye. Thus, this is the key difference between lagophthalmos and ptosis. Furthermore, lagophthalmos happens due to facial nerves or damage to the eyelids, another type of medical disorder like ptosis or sagging eyelids, or a complication of surgical treatments like blepharoplasty or ptosis repair. On the other hand, ptosis is caused by genetic factors, weakened muscles or ligaments that raise eyelids, damage to nerves that control the eyelids muscles, and previous eye surgery.

The below infographic presents the differences between lagophthalmos and ptosis in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Lagophthalmos vs Ptosis

Lagophthalmos and ptosis are two medical disorders due to defective eyelids. These conditions can occur in children as well as adults. Lagophthalmos is a medical condition that causes incomplete or defective closure of the eyelids, while ptosis is a medical condition that causes the upper eyelid to droop over the eye. So, this is the key difference between lagophthalmos and ptosis.