The eyelids are protective coverings over the eyes. They allow the eyes to remain moist and act like windshield wipers to clear any foreign material. The most common abnormality is eyelid malposition.

Upper eyelids can be too high or too low. If the eyelid is too high, it may indicate that the person has thyroid disease (Graves disease). In some cases, surgery needs to be performed to correct this problem. More commonly, upper eyelids may be too low; this is called ptosis.

If the eyelid position is interfering with vision, or is cosmetically unacceptable to the patient, surgery can be performed to raise the lid. Sometimes, the upper eyelids may appear to droop; however, the real problem is that the person has too much extra skin. This may interfere with vision or give one a sleepy appearance. Surgery can be performed to remove the excess skin. This is called blepharoplasty. Lower lids can also be positioned incorrectly.

The lower lid may sag and turn out. This is called an ectropion. The lower lid may also roll in, allowing the lashes to run on the cornea causing irritation. This is called an entropion. Either of these problems can usually be resolved with surgery.