Too much of the whites in my eyes show how can this be fixed?

This is called scleral show and can be either congenital or from previous blepharoplasty surgery, and it can be from taking too much skin out of the lower eyelids. This can be fixed through a canthopexy or canthoplasty where an incision is made at the lateral corner of the eye, and it is brought up and... more

Many physicians and researchers have spent considerable time determining what the "most attractive" eyes are.  We know angles, depth, skin, fat and many other things that are accepted to be the norms and the most attractive. One of those things is scleral show or how much white of the eye is... more

Start with the basics. A complete exam by your plastic surgeon to assess the eyelid structures. This extra show of white of the eye is not uncommon in people of color, but still, consideration must be given to the possibility of other conditions that could cause this, like Grave's disease, a thyroid condition... more

My initial reaction would be to leave your eyes as they are.  However, if you want a second opinion, I sometimes refer patients with your concern to a colleague across the street from my office in New York City.  His name is Dr. Glen Jelks, and he may have had experience with your problem before.

Dear Shonrea, A full face photograph would be very helpful as how you position your face will have an effect on the degree of white showing under the colored portion of the eye. This show of white is called inferior scleral show. Normally, the lower eyelid margin rides the eye just at the inferior limbus. The... more

I would have an eye exam to make sure you don't have proptosis or a bulging eye. Throid problems can cause this. Most likely, you just have scleral show, that is, more of the white showing below your iris (the colored part of your eye). Most commonly, this happens when the cheek is lower or flatter as opposed... more

Your eyes are unique in that the upper portion of the pigmented portion of the eye is covered by the lid, while the lower portion shows a fair amount of white (sclera).  This is a variant of a normal eye configuration.  If the amount is objectionable or causes dry eye syndrome, it can be corrected... more

Scleral show, which is what you are describing, can be an acquired defect after surgery or it can be congenital. If there are no functional issues, surgery is not truly necessary. However, if you are bothered by its cosmetic appearance, then I recommend a tightening procedure of the lower lid called canthopexy... more

You do have some scleral show. As long as your eyes can close normally without any dryness you do not need surgery. If you are doing this to change the shape of your eyes, a procedure that would support the lower lid structures and tighten the outer cathus will address this issue. A word of caution about this... more