Treatment for facial nerve palsy

Facial nerve palsy is a debilitating condition that causes facial weakness. It can adversely impact your appearance, speech, vision, eating, drinking, hearing, and communication — not to mention your mood and self-esteem.

It can be caused by various factors such as Bell’s palsy, acoustic neuroma, trauma, muscular dystrophy or congenital conditions.

One of the consequences of facial nerve palsy is improper closure of the eyelid, which can lead to eye health risks. Treatment options depend on the underlying cause and can include muscle-relaxing injections, lubricating eye drops or surgery.

If your eyes are not closing properly, they need to be protected. A temporary surgical procedure can be performed to give the underlying condition a chance to heal.

‘Tarsorrhaphy’ is the joining of part or all of the upper and lower eyelids so as to partially or completely close the eye.

The goal of surgery is to improve eye function, preserve vision, and restore your natural facial aesthetics.

To correct poor eyelid closure, surgery focuses on re-establishing eyelid function or eyelid coverage. Implanting gold or platinum weights into the upper eyelid can help your eyelid to close while lower lid ectropion or retraction can be corrected through a range of surgical procedures, including grafting or tendon tightening.

Dr Parker may also recommend facial reanimation procedures and referral to a psychologist for support.