It is the insufficiency of the palpebral muscles, which leads to the inability to completely close the eyelids. It can affect only one eye, which is the most common, or both. When the eye is permanently exposed to the outside and there is no blinking, the tear film that covers it tends to disappear, causing dry eyes, which causes infections and ulcers in the cornea that can seriously affect vision. The most common cause is facial paralysis, which causes the lower eyelid to drop and makes the function of the orbicularis oculi muscle impossible. It is also the consequence of a surgical intervention performed on the eyelid, for example, to remove a tumor, or to perform a blepharoplasty. It can also be caused by exophthalmos, scars from trauma or burns that affect the eyelid.

Treatment: Artificial tears are used to keep the eye lubricated. When it does not recover spontaneously, it can be treated by placing a gold weight located on the upper eyelid, which thanks to its weight and the effect of gravity, favors the complete closure of the palpebral fissure.