How Eyelid Surgery Can Improve Your Field of Vision

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Posted by: Missouri Eye Institute in Blog on December 1, 2025

If your eyelids have started to droop, it can affect more than just your appearance. As the condition progresses, drooping skin can begin to impair your whole field of vision.

While ptosis is often caused by the natural aging process, it can be effectively treated with eyelid surgery. Keep reading to learn more about how eyelid surgery can improve your field of vision.

How Do Droopy Eyelids Affect Vision?

Drooping eyelids can affect your vision by blocking the upper field of vision, blocking peripheral vision, or both.

When upper eyelid skin sags, it can hang over the eyelashes and block part of the upper field of vision, making it difficult to see objects above eye level, such as traffic lights and overhead cabinets or shelves. Over time, tilting the head or raising the eyebrows to see clearly can cause neck problems and tension headaches.

Eyelid skin can also sag along the edges of the eye and impair peripheral vision. Loss of peripheral vision, which is vital to balance and coordination, can make it unsafe to drive, increase the risk of falls, and affect independent mobility.

The weight of drooping eyelids can eventually cause eye fatigue. It can make everyday tasks, such as reading, driving, or watching TV, become more tiring or irritating to the eyes.

What is Functional Eyelid Surgery?

Functional eyelid surgery is a procedure that can address drooping eyelids that may be impairing vision.

Unlike cosmetic eyelid surgery, which focuses solely on appearance, functional eyelid surgery is considered medically necessary to restore clear vision.

During the procedure, a small incision is made along the natural crease of the upper eyelid to adjust the eyelid muscle as well as remove or reposition skin and fatty tissue. Eyelid surgery allows the eyes to open more fully and improves visual range.

Can Eyelid Surgery Help with Night Driving?

Undergoing eyelid surgery can often make a huge difference in a person’s ability to safely drive at night. Droopy eyelids can obstruct central and peripheral vision, creating a tunnel vision effect, and can cause glare and eye strain, which may make it more difficult for the eyes to adjust to changing light levels while driving.

After eyelid surgery, restored upper and peripheral vision makes it easier to see headlights, traffic signals, and obstacles while driving at night. It can increase a person’s confidence in their ability to drive after dark.

What Tests Are Done to Determine if Eyelid Surgery Will Help Vision?

Before recommending surgery, your ophthalmologist will perform a series of tests to measure how much drooping eyelid skin is affecting your vision. These tests help determine whether the procedure can improve your field of vision.

One of the main tests is a visual field test, which measures how far you can see in different directions without moving your head. This test helps determine if you have blind spots or physical impediments to your field of view.

Your ophthalmologist may also take photographs to document the position of your eyelids in relation to your pupils. They may make additional measurements to check eyelid height and margin-reflex distance, which indicates how much the lids droop over the pupils.

Drooping eyelids do not have to permanently affect your field of vision as you age. After eyelid surgery, you can enjoy the high quality of life that comes with a full range of vision.

Do you want to learn if you might be a candidate for eyelid surgery? Schedule a consultation at Missouri Eye Institute in Springfield, MO, today!