On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Symptoms
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Specifics
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• Images

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Patient Handouts

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.

Start Here

• Eye Problems: Symptom Checker Flowchart (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

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)
• Sebaceous Carcinoma: Overview (American Academy of Dermatology)
• Stye (Sty) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Trichiasis (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish
• What Is the Difference Between a Stye and a Chalazion? Causes, Symptoms, Treatment (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish

Genetics

• Blepharophimosis, ptosis, and epicanthus inversus syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Images

• Blepharitis (VisualDX)
• Eye (Blepharoplasty) and Brow Lift Photos (American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery)
• Ptosis Photo Gallery (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)

• Article: Clinical effect and safety of medicated thread moxibustion on xanthelasma palpebrarum:...
• Article: Techniques for the surgical correction of lagophthalmos secondary to leprosy: A...
• Article: The impact of lacrimal gland characteristics on the clinical presentation of...
• Eyelid Disorders -- see more articles

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