The eyelids are thin, movable folds of skin and muscle that cover and protect the front of the eye. Each lid has skin, orbicularis oculi muscle, a firm tarsal plate and conjunctival lining, with lashes and gland openings along the margin. Blinking spreads the tear film and pumps tears toward the drainage system.
| Location | In front of the eyeball, closing the palpebral fissure |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Facial nerve (CN VII) to orbicularis oculi; Oculomotor nerve (CN III) to levator palpebrae superioris; Sympathetic fibres to the tarsal muscles; Supraorbital, supratrochlear, lacrimal, infratrochlear and infraorbital nerves (sensory) |
| Blood Supply | Medial and lateral palpebral arteries forming the marginal and peripheral arcades |
Protect the eye from injury and light, spread tears across the surface with each blink and help drain tears.
The upper lid is raised by levator palpebrae superioris (CN III) and Muller muscle (sympathetic), so ptosis may point to a third nerve palsy, Horner syndrome or myasthenia gravis. Facial nerve palsy stops lid closure and risks corneal exposure. Lid skin is a common site for basal cell carcinoma, especially on the lower lid.
Chronic inflammation of the lid margins causing crusting, redness and grittiness, often linked to meibomian gland dysfunction.
Drooping of the upper eyelid from age-related levator aponeurosis stretching, nerve palsy or muscle disease.
Outward or inward turning of the lid margin, usually of the lower lid with age. Entropion makes lashes rub the cornea.
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