Dermatochalasis is a term used to refer
to excessive (redundant) eyelid skin.
A less technical term is ""baggy eyelids".
Causes of dermatochalasis:
Dermatochalasis occurs as part of the normal aging
process when the elastic fibres in the tissues underneath the surface
of the skin become stretched, while the outer skin becomes thinner.
Dermatochalasis is therefore found in many older people,
usually from middle-age onwards.
However, dermatochalasis may also be triggered or
exaccerbated by certain systemic diseases, such as e.g. thyroid
eye disease, renal failure, and others. Genetic factors may also
be involved in predisposition to dermatochalasis.
Effects of dermatochalasis:
Dermatochalasis may cause drooping of the upper-eyelid
due to the weight of the redundant skin. Drooping of the upper-eyelid
is known as blepharoptosis
and also (alternative name) as ptosis,
and can occur for various other reasons - dermatochalasis
being just one of many possible explanations.
Especially when drooping of the upper-eyelid(s) results from dermatochalasis,
patients may raise cosmetic concerns, or have functional complaints
arising from the upper part of the visual field being partly-obscured
by the lower-than-normal upper-eyelids.
One possible surgical treatment for dermatochalasis
is blepharoplasty
(which is also known as tarsoplasty).
More about Ophthalmology: This section includes short definitions
of many diseases, disorders, and conditions of the eyes and visual system.
For definitions of other terms in this category, choose from the list
to the left (but note that this is not a complete/exhaustive list).
Other related pages include the diagram
of the eye, and definitions
of parts of the eye, a description
of the human retina, and definitions
of parts of the retina, and the section of short definitions
of clinical and surgical procedures re. eyes and human visual system.
For further information see also our section of Books
about Ophthalmology. |
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This Section
is about
Diseases
and Disorders of the Eyes and Visual System.
To read about other diseases, disorders, or conditions of the eye and
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