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URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/eyeliddisorders.html
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Summary
Your eyelids help protect your eyes. When you blink, your eyelids spread moisture over your eyes. Blinking also helps move dirt or other particles off the surface of the eye. You close your eyelids when you see something coming toward your eyes. This can help protect against injuries.
Like most other parts of your body, your eyelids can get infected, inflamed, or even develop cancer. There are also specific eyelid problems, including:
- Eyelids that turn in or out
- Eyelids that droop
- Abnormal blinking or twitching
Treatment of eyelid problems depends on the cause.
Symptoms
- Eye Symptoms (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
- Blepharoplasty - series (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Specifics
- Bell's Palsy: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Benign Essential Blepharospasm (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
- Blepharitis (National Eye Institute) Also in Spanish
- Blepharospasm (National Eye Institute) Also in Spanish
- Dark Circles under Eyes (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Eye Twitching (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Eyelid Growths (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish
- Eyelid Trouble? Managing Blepharitis (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
- Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and Treatment (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)
- Ptosis (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)
- Stye (Sty) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Styes and Chalazia (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish
- Trichiasis (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish
Genetics
- Blepharophimosis, ptosis, and epicanthus inversus syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
Images
- Blepharitis (VisualDX)
- Droopy Eyelids (Ptosis) (American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery)
- Eye (Blepharoplasty) and Brow Lift Photos (American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery)
- Stye (Hordeolum and Chalazion) (VisualDX)
- Xanthelasma Palpebrarum (VisualDX)
Statistics and Research
- Eye Health Data and Statistics (National Eye Institute) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Blepharoptosis (National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Blepharospasm (National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Chalazion (National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Eyelid Diseases (National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Reference Desk
- NEI for Kids: Glossary (National Eye Institute)
Find an Expert
- Find an Ophthalmologist (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish
- Finding an Eye Doctor (National Eye Institute)
- National Eye Institute
Children
- Epiblepharon (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)
- Eyelid Problems (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Blepharitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Chalazion (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Ectropion (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Entropion (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Eyelid bump (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Eyelid lift (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Eyelid twitch (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Ptosis - infants and children (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.