[Ptosis surgery. Current aspects]

Ptosis can be congenital but is more commonly an acquired condition occurring in particular as involutional forms. In addition to the aesthetic aspects ptosis mostly also leads to functional problems. Congenital ptosis in particular carries a high risk of amblyopia in childhood, therefore competent and close-knit pediatric ophthalmological treatment is important. Correction of ptosis is surgical and direct or indirect procedures are available depending on the conditions. Transcutaneous levator surgery has proven to be the universally applicable method for ptosis of all degrees of severity and can be combined with other corrective measures, such as temporal canthopexy or blepharoplasty, particularly for eyelids of elderly patients. In cases of severely impaired levator function and poor Bell phenomenon the indirect frontalis suspension method can be used. Congenital ptosis in childhood should be surgically treated at an early stage because of a substantial risk of amblyopia even if the central visual axis is still clear. The results of ptosis surgery are generally good and serious complications are rare.