Drooping eye since surgery: The surgeon told me it was permanent and nothing could be done about it. Is he right?

  It is hard to say without seeing you as nothing takes the place of an in person consultation.  But I do agree with my colleagues who have already replied that it sounds like you may have ptosis and may benefit from ptosis repair.  Let me know if I can be of assistance to you.

It sounds like you have right upper eyelid ptosis, with brow compensation (meaning the brow is lifting in order to assist raise the upper eyelid). You should be a candidate for eyelid ptosis surgery. See an oculoplastic surgeon for evaluation.

You are describing weakness in the distribution of the left facial nerve.  Unfortunately removal of these tumors can result in motor nerve injury.  No one is in a better position to know if the damage created in removing your tumor will be permanent than the surgeon who removed the tumor.  The good news is that the brow, the eyelid, and if needed, the face can be lifted to compensate for these changes.  The American Society for Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery maintains a regional directory on their website that will assist you find a highly qualified surgeon in your area for an assessment.  It is useful to have the health of the cornea assessed even before you are ready for restorative surgery because the nerve weakness can affect the blink function of the eyelids and cause a dry eye.  

Thank you for sharing your problem. You likely have ptosis (drooping eyelid) following your spinal surgery. This is a common problem Oculoplastic Surgeons manage. See an experienced doctor for comprehensive evaluation in person and discussion of treatment options.Good luck,

While nerves can recover for many years after injury, most times whatever recovery is present after two years is the limit for recovery since the muscle weakens over time. Main the meantime, you can use Botox to control the arching of the brow and to weaken the muscle on the opposite side to improve symmetry. Once you you and your surgeon are sure that recovery is complete, you can have a brow lift to try to get the best symmetry possible. Good luck. 

Dear yankow,     Yes I agree with the others who noted you probably have ptosis. This can occur after spinal surgery and yes it is permanent in many cases. However, there are surgical options to repair it and in many cases insurance covers it.  I think you should see a consultation with an Oculoplastic surgeon to see what your particular options are.  good luck! 

Without pictures, though based on your description, it seems you may have ptosis. This is a common problem and one in which there are treatment options. I suggest meeting in-person with an ophthalmic plastic surgeon for an an evaluation. Best wishes!Karen Singer, M.D., P.A.Harvard GraduateBoard Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery

From your description, you have a Horner's Syndrome from loss of sympathetic nerve innervation to the muscle that keeps your eye open when you are awake. Unlike what you have been told, if this is your problem, it is fixable. There are 3 muscles that hold the eye open. Muller's the one that is effected is the non voluntary one. The others are the voluntary Levator in the eyelid and the Frontalis in the forehead. The Frontalis is trying to compensate for the lack of Muller's. That is the reason your brow looks strange. By shortening Muller's you can balance the eyelids and correct the problem. See a plastic or occuloplastic surgeon specializing in urologic eyelid ptosis.