Retraction of the lower eyelid

Retraction of the lower eyelid is a useful sign of disease. It is an early manifestation of weakness of the facial muscles, occurring with myopathies, myasthenia, and upper and lower motor neuron facial paresis. Rarely, lower and upper lid retraction occur without proptosis in patients with Graves disease. Lower lid retraction occurs in proptosis and varies directly with the degree of proptosis. It is also seen with senile entropion or ectropion, after eye muscle or orbital surgery, and with contraction of lid tissues. Apparent retraction results when the contralateral lower lid is pathologically elevated, as in Horner syndrome, in enophthalmos, or with vertical deviations of the eye.