Numerous theories have been proposed seeking to explain what causes the baggy lower eyelids that come with aging. Now, researchers from UCLA have determined that fat expansion in the eye socket is the primary culprit.

The study is the first to examine the anatomy of multiple subjects to determine what happens to the lower eyelid with age. It is also the first face-aging study that uses high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The study looked at MRIs of 40 subjects (17 males and 23 females) between the ages of 12 and 80. The findings showed that the lower eyelid tissue increased with age, and that the largest contributor to this size increase was fat increase.

A common treatment performed is eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty. This treatment repairs droopy eyelids by surgical excision of excess fat in the eye socket. Blepharoplasty is usually done on an outpatient basis. Currently many plastic surgeons performing blepharoplasty do not remove any fat. They reposition the fat or conduct a more invasive tightening of the muscle that surrounds the eye or tighten the actual ligament that holds the eyeball in place. Surgeons perform these more invasive procedures despite the fact there is no data showing these structures change with age.

If surgery is an option for you, choose your doctor wisely.

(eurekalert.org)