What is going on with my eye? Began seeing asymmetry 2 years ago & sinking back in socket (Photo)

Question

Two years ago I began seeing asymmetry in my right eye that I’d never had before, the eye appears to be sinking back into the eye socket. I’ve been to 2 ophthalmologists and 2 neurologists whose only suggestions were to not be anxious about it, botox, or fillers. Botox has only made things worse and I feel like fillers won’t solve the issue because it might be my levator muscle. Please advise, I’m absolutely open to surgery. I just want some answers and to see improvement.

Gary M. Horndeski, MD · Answer

With the loss of weight, people will lose fat that supports the eyes and can make the eyes look more receding.  You have not stated anything about your weight but that may be a cause to your problem.  I suggest a medical evaluation by an internal medicine physician.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Michelle Zweifler, MD · Answer

Asymmetry of eyes and face is overall fairly common.  Over time changes in fat and skin quality may affect the face making the cosmetic difference more noticeable.

In addition to neurologist and ophthalmologist evaluation, thyroid hormone levels should be checked. 
 Thyroid levels may affect eyelid positioning and lid retraction.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

All people have facial asymmetry.
Sometimes when people first recognize their own facial asymmetry, they are of the assumption that most faces are symmetrical.
This is not the case.
The human brain is accustomed to seeing people with a symmetrical faces as being normal, since no one has a symmetrical face.
 we tend to view ourselves from a fairly biased perspective.
During embryological development, the two sides of the face develop independently from each other, and eventually fuse in the midline guide.
It is very common for the two eyesockets not to be even with each other, and often the left side sits slightly higher than the right. 
The asymmetry is primarily based on bone structure and soft tissue coverage tends to be far more consistent and even.
You don’t need fillers or Botox.
This is the shape of your facial, skeletal structure and most likely has been this way since you were born.
Obviously the skull grows and evolves with age, but baseline asymmetry is usually set from an early age.
Resetting orbital position is possible, but is highly complex surgery that is only done for those whose skeletal form is abnormal enough to justify the procedure.
If you look carefully at pictures of other people, you will soon begin to recognize that all people have facial asymmetry, and that this is normal.
Whether you like your facial aesthetics or not, they are primarily based on bone structure and changing your primary facial appearance is an involved endeavor that should not be undertaken lightly. 
If you want to get an assessment, then talk to oral surgeons who do complex cranial facial reconstructive surgery.
This type of work is sometimes also done by plastic surgeons typically those who have done cranial facial fellowship training after their plastic surgery training.
My personal recommendation is to accept this as being normal, and try not to focus on it changing it.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD

What is going on with my eye? Began seeing asymmetry 2 years ago & sinking back in socket (Photo)

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What is going on with my eye? Began seeing asymmetry 2 years ago & sinking back in socket (Photo)

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