Three years ago, I had surgery on my right eye to have some abnormal tissue removed from the cornea. The specialist used a clip to hold my eye open, but the clip broke the muscle that holds the eyelid up. A year later, I had plastic surgery to correct the eyelid droop. But the eyelid droop is still very noticeable, and I hate to look in the mirror anymore. Can you suggest what type of surgeon I should look for to fix this problem? What questions should I ask?

C.R.

The medical term for a droopy eyelid is called ptosis. There are many causes of ptosis, including trauma, paralysis, inflammation or degeneration. The type of surgeon that performs ptosis repair is either a general ophthalmologist or an oculoplastic surgeon. The latter type of doctor is an ophthalmologist who spends an extra year or two specializing in eyelid and orbital surgery.

Your surgeon will evaluate your ptosis and determine whether surgery can help. One important question to ask is: "What are the chances that surgery will improve the appearance of my eyelid given its current condition?" Also, you should be sure to ask about the surgical risks and potential complications of the procedure. Finally, you should ask the surgeon about how much experience he or she has in performing the specific procedure you are considering. Generally, the more experience the surgeon has, the better the results.