Botox for Crows Feet Cause Droopy Lower Eyelid?

Short answer -- you are unlikely to receive any eye-LID or eye-BROW drooping if you only receive Botox in your crow's feet...Your question does, however, warrant discussion of three rare, but known, complications of Botox...(1) A drooping eye-BROW may happen when the brow-elevating muscle in the forehead, the Frontalis, receives too high a dose of Botox, or alternatively, if the Botox is sub-optimally placed too low in the forehead. Of note, it may also happen if you have a low set eyebrow to begin with, in which case any Botox to the Frontalis increases the likelihood of a brow droop. Ironically, a droopy eyebrow from Botox can sometimes be improved with MORE Botox -- this time injected into the outside (top of the crow's feet) part of the eye (the lateral aspect of the orbicularis oculi muscle) to generate a bit of a brow lift in that area -- by injecting more Botox and paralyzing the orbicularis muscle that normally acts to depress the brow in that area, you may get a slight compensatory brow lift... (2) A droopy UPPER eye-LID may occur if the Botox is injected too close to your eyelid-elevating muscle, the levator palpebra superioris. In such a scenario, the Botox will diffuse inadvertently onto the levator muscle and cause an eyelid droop. You may have an increased risk of upper eye-LID drooping if you have a weakened upper eyelid muscle for neurological reasons, or a deeply set eye-BROW that would be more prone to drooping (as discussed above) and result in skin gathering over the eyelid making the eyelid appear like it was drooping. A droopy upper eye-LID due to Botox can be treated with Apraclonidine eye-drops which can provide a small (2mm) improvement -- Apraclonidine 0.5, 1-2 drops, 3 times per day. Make sure you put in one drop at a time, tilt your head back, and close your eyes to make sure none of the eye-drop leaks out. Be sure your prescribing physician discusses all the potential side-effects of the drops, such as "adrenaline-like" symptoms like anxiety or heart pounding; you may also experience eye irritation, eye dryness, and eye pain, amongst other symptoms. If these symptoms occur, you will likely need to take some lubricating eye drops, lower the dose, switch the eye-drops, or stop the drops altogether...(3) A droopy LOWER eye-LID may occur if Botox is placed close to lower eyelid area where it infiltrates into the lower orbicularis oculi muscle and prevents the lower lid from full eye closure -- again, this is UN-likely to happen with correct Botox treatment to the crow's feet area.  Note, excessive Botox should not be administered and the injections should not be too medial -- i.e. should remain in the outside part of the lower eye, in the crow's feet area...My recommendations are to seek the services of an experienced physician injector. I think the key with Botox lies in truly understanding the anatomy of the injected area, and more importantly the variability in the anatomy between patients -- for brows, the forehead, and anywhere else you plan on receiving a Botox injection. This includes having a firm understanding of the origin, insertion, and action of each muscle that will be injected, the thickness of each muscle targeted, how deep beneath the skin the actual muscle resides, and the patient variability therein. As an aesthetic-trained plastic surgeon, I am intrinsically biased since I operate in the area for browlifts and facelifts, and have a unique perspective to the muscle anatomy since I commonly dissect under the skin, see the actual muscles themselves, and learn "first-hand" the incredible variability between patients -- live, "on the OR table" -- as opposed to via lectures or a cadaver dissection. For me, this helps guide where to inject and where not to. However, with that said, I know many non-aesthetic trained plastic surgeons and other physicians who know the anatomy well despite not operating in that area, and get good results.Good luck.Dr Markarian

Yes if injected incorrectly botox can cause a "droopy" eyelid, and yes botox is not FDA approved for this area, however many qualified M.D's have been injecting the crows feet including myself with perfect results.  Please make sure you are choosing a well qualified and trained physician for your botox!

BOTOX injections are completely safe for reduction in the appearance of crow's feet when you smile. I have not seen change in the shape, position or tone of the lower eyelid in any of my patients.
I hope this is helpful, and best regards.