Upneeq Eye Drops
Upneeq can be used at home to treat droopy eyelid. As seen in
Put the sparkle back in someone's eye.
With Upneeq Eye Drops, Boerne Vision Center patients can treat their droopy eyelids without surgery. The only drug approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to treat acquired ptosis, patients with droopy eyes can use the drop for either one or both eyes.
Fixing droopy eyelids without surgery
What exactly is Upneeq?
The prescription eyedrop provides an alternative to surgery and off-label drugs, the only options for fixing droopy eyelids until now. Upneeq works on a muscle that elevates the eyelid. It causes that muscle to contract, allowing the eyelid to open 1-2 millimeters wider than before treatment.
Upneeq, which contains the same active ingredient (oxymetazoline) as the nasal spray Afrin, must be reapplied once a day to maintain the effect. But unlike Afrin, which is not safe for long-term use, Upneeq can be used indefinitely.
Droopy eyelid treatment may benefit some patients more than others.
Upneeq can help improve mild and moderate droopy eyelids in adults with acquired or age-related ptosis. It may also help individuals experiencing eyelid droop as a side effect of cosmetic botox treatment.
It will not work for people who have droopy eyelids due to excess skin, saggy eyebrows, or underlying eye injury or nerve problems. The drug is not a treatment for congenital ptosis and has not been studied in children.
Certain patients, including those with cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure, should consult their primary care doctor before taking this drug. Individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also check with their doctor.
Mild side effects — including dry eye, eye irritation or redness, blurred vision, and headache — occurred in very few (about 1% to 5% of) patients who participated in the clinical trials for Upneeq.
Ask your eye doctor to weigh in on whether your droopy eyelid may benefit from prescription treatment.
Keep your eyelids up.
Your Boerne Vision Center Eye Doctor can treat droopy eyelids from cosmetic surgery with Upneeq Eye Drops, the first drug approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to treat acquired ptosis. This condition is more common than you think—approximately 11.5% of adults have a droopy eyelid, but many don’t know it’s considered a disorder — or that their eye doctor can treat it.
Complete Vision Care
Upneeq requires a prescription and a current eye exam as well as a consultation with your optometrist or ophthalmologist. Contact Boerne Vision Center to set up your appointment for a Upneeq eye exam and consultation. Like all prescribed medications, Upneeq is not for everyone, and a list of contraindications can be found here.
Dr. Susan Johnson's pearls and experience with Upneeq:
