How to fix one eye bigger than the other

Why is one eye smaller than the other and can look uneven in pictures? Do you ever notice that your eyes can look uneven in pictures? It’s a really annoying issue that can affect your entire appearance. In fact, there’s evidence to suggest that symmetry is the most important contributing factor to beauty. Unfortunately, having asymmetrical eyes, or one eye that looks smaller than the other, is a pretty common problem. Uneven eyes are typically something you’re born with or can be caused by aging, injury, surgery or eye disease. Believe it or not, even when you think that your eyes are uneven, in most cases, they are pretty much the same size. What you’re seeing might be an illusion.

Why is one eye smaller than the other

Typically, either one eyelid is drooping or your eyebrows are uneven, the reason why is one eye smaller than the other, and makes your eyes look like they are different sizes because of their proximity to your eyebrows. We have had many Chicago patients come in thinking that one of their eyes is bigger than the other. But once we fix their eyelids and raise their eyebrows, their eyes suddenly look much more symmetrical.

Droopy Eyelids Creating the Appearance of Uneven Eyes

Severely droopy eyelids are easy to spot. (As long as your eyelid isn’t making things hard to see). However, if your eyelid is drooping ever so slightly, you might not even notice it. Instead, you may just think one eye looks smaller than the other. In most cases, when people think that they have suddenly developed uneven eyes, they actually have ptosis, or drooping of the upper eyelid.

The eyes are one of the first places that show signs of aging for many people. You may notice bulging bags developing under your eyes and your upper eyelid beginning droop. Or, you may just start to think that one eye is beginning to look different from the other, caused by these two developments.

Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, is used to correct droopy upper eyelids and bulges under the eyes, helping to make your eyes look symmetrical again. If your upper eyelids are drooping, and you need upper blepharoplasty, a surgeon, like double-board certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Dayan, will remove excess skin, muscle and fat from your upper eyelid. For puffy bags underneath your eyes caused by fat deposits, your surgeon will remove or redistribute excess fat, sagging skin and muscle. This should make your eyes look youthful and symmetrical again.

Take a look at our blepharoplasty before and after pictures to see how much this procedure can transform your face!

Eyebrow and Eye Symmetry

Eyebrows are a powerful facial feature, reflecting expression and facial symmetry. Eyebrow asymmetry can occur when you are born or develop as you get older. As you age, your eyebrows may begin to droop, just like your eyelids. This can actually lead to your eyelids drooping as well, as the skin underneath your lowered eyebrows gets pushed downwards. Having one eyebrow lower down your face than the other can also create the appearance that one of your eyes is smaller than the other due to its proximity to the brow.

A brow lift and/or forehead lift can help raise your skin and eyebrows up to a symmetrical position. Typically, brow lifts are performed with a forehead lift, as the forehead skin often needs to be repositioned in order to raise the eyebrows and eyelid skin. Brow lifts, forehead lifts and/or facelifts can also be done in conjunction with blepharoplasty, which can give your eyes the most symmetrical appearance possible.

If you are not interested in surgery just yet, don’t worry. For a less invasive first step, many patients choose to receive BOTOX® to raise their eyebrows. Though the degree of elevation is limited, it can be a good way to see if eyebrow elevation gives you the eye symmetry you are looking for, since Botox is non-surgical. Dysport® and Xeomin® work similarly to BOTOX®, offering even more minimally invasive treatment options for patients who would rather avoid surgery. Since each of these neuromodulators comes with their own unique benefits, Dr. Dayan will help you decide which one is best for you.

Patients can also opt for ThermiSmooth, a completely non-invasive skin tightening treatment. By targeting your problem area with carefully controlled heat, ThermiSmooth can tighten your drooping eyelid or eyebrow and bring more symmetry to your eyes.

Symmetry is the key to beauty. And with the right cosmetic treatments, we may be able to get your eyes looking beautifully symmetrical. To find out if blepharoplasty or a brow lift and forehead lift can correct your uneven eyes, you’ll want to schedule an appointment with our facial experts in Chicago. We will be able to help you discover the cause of why is one eye smaller than the other, and suggest the proper treatment.

Last Updated on January 29, 2021 by Dr Dayan

When you look in the mirror, do you see uneven eyes or other facial features that seem a little off? Does one of your eyes appear larger than the other? What can you do about it? It’s not normal, right? What if someone notices? Is it possibly something that you should be worried about? Let’s find out.

Causes of Mismatched Eyes

You can blame your mom and dad for this one. Genetics are a common cause of eyes being different sizes. You probably look a lot like your parents or grandparents. If you really pay attention, they might have one eye that is bigger than the other or placed just a little higher than the other one too. You may have never noticed, just like no one has probably ever noticed your eyes are also asymmetrical. 

Trauma to the eye can also cause mismatched eyes. Car accidents or injuries while playing sports are examples of how this can happen. Injuries like this can cause the eye to sink or appear to droop. This can lead to the eventual feeling of the eyes pulling downward, causing sinus problems and other facial pain.

Droopy eyelids can be seen at birth or appear later with a condition called Ptosis. When the muscle that holds your eyelid up stretches too far or becomes unattached from the eyelid, the eye will droop and appear lower than the other. 

Some people have one or both eyes protruding or bulging. This is most commonly caused by Graves’ disease, where the area behind and around the eye swells and then pushes the eyeball forward. This can also happen as a result of a tumor or infection.

How to Treat Mismatched Eyes

Treatment for mismatched eyes is not usually needed at all. There are, however, things you can do to may your eyes seem more symmetrical. 

• Makeup – Using contouring and highlighting techniques allow you to achieve a more balanced look. Try looking up video tutorials online to learn more specifically about getting the look you desire or asking a makeup artist for a few tips and tricks.
• Botox – Sometimes, Botox can be used as a temporary solution for uneven brows, giving you a non-surgical brow lift and a more symmetrical appearance.
• Cosmetic surgery – Different cosmetic surgeries are available for lifting your brows, raising eyelids, and more.
• Other surgery options – More extensive surgeries like orbital surgery are available to repair the orbital area (eye socket) of the eye.

Should You Be Worried?

Although you may be asking yourself, “why is one eye bigger than the other”? The answer is, most people’s eyes are not perfectly even. It’s totally normal. As long as you know that it isn’t due to a medical condition or it doesn’t hinder your vision, you should not be worried at all. In fact, it is extremely rare for asymmetrical eyes to be caused by a medical condition in the first place.

If you find yourself still wanting to know more, call us to schedule an eye exam. We would love to answer any questions you may have as well as teach you more about healthy vision habits for the future.

1. Attach this device to your glasses to help elevate a drooping eyelid. A ptosis crutch can be a great option if you can’t or don’t want to have any surgical procedures done. In many cases, the crutch can be fitted to your existing eyewear and hold open your eyelid up so that your eyes are more symmetrical.[1]

   • Talk to your eye doctor about ptosis crutch options and whether they can be installed on your specific type of glasses.
   • Wearing a ptosis crutch in your glasses is going to be slightly visible since it's a plastic or metal bar holding up your eyelid, but it's discreetly connected to your glasses.
   • An eyewear professional might charge around $100 USD to add a ptosis crutch to an existing pair of glasses.

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1. Ask your eye doctor about a new prescription med for ptosis. As of early 2021, the prescription eye drop Upneeq is the only medication approved in the U.S. to treat a droopy eyelid caused by aging (acquired ptosis). You’ll need to apply the eye drops once daily to see ongoing results. Consult with your eye doctor to see if Upneeq may be an alternative to surgery in your case.[2]

   • Upneeq causes the muscle in the drooping eyelid to retract further. It works almost immediately, but must be reapplied daily to maintain the effect.
   • Upneeq is not effective for ptosis caused by injury or other medical conditions.
   • Upneeq costs around $90-$120 USD for a 30-day supply.

1. Botox may lift a drooping eyelid by tightening the surrounding skin. This is a relatively quick and low-pain option that can quickly tighten the skin around your eye and get rid of any droopiness. Because Botox injections weaken muscle tissue, however, they can increase eyelid droopiness if administered incorrectly, so always have a trained and experienced medical professional do the procedure.[3]

   • Your treatment might require a single injection in the brow area above your drooping eyelid, or one or more additional injections in this area as well as the area between your eyebrows.
   • The effects of Botox injections typically last around 3-4 months.
   • Botox injections often cost around $350-$500 USD for each area that is injected.

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1. This procedure removes excess tissue from your drooping eyelid. During an eyelid lift (blepharoplasty), the surgeon removes extra skin, muscle, and/or fat from your eyelid. Doing so lifts and tightens your eyelid, making your eye appear larger and more symmetrical.[4]

   • Talk to an ophthalmologist, oculoplastic surgeon, or your general eye doctor for more information about blepharoplasty and whether it’s right for you, as well as any risks involved.
   • This is typically an outpatient procedure done under local anesthesia.
   • Some of the risks involved in blepharoplasty are infection and bleeding, skin discoloration, difficulty opening your eyes, and noticeable scarring.
   • The average cost of an eyelid lift is in the range of $3,000 USD.

1. Consider undergoing this procedure along with blepharoplasty. Especially if you have ptosis due to aging, you likely have both a drooping eyelid and a drooping eyebrow. If so, look into having both an eyelid lift (blepharoplasty) and an eyebrow lift, both of which are inpatient surgical procedures that involve the removal of excess tissue. Alternatively, you can undergo either procedure individually as needed.[5]

   • You’ll have some light scarring above your eyelid, but this can be concealed with makeup and usually disappears within a year.
   • Always have a qualified, licensed, experienced oculoplastic surgeon perform eyelid or eyebrow lift procedures.
   • The average eyebrow lift typically costs somewhere around $3,500 USD.

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1. This tightens the muscle and tendon tissue in the drooping eyelid. Ptosis surgery is typically an inpatient procedure done with local anesthesia, which allows the surgeon to fine-tune the symmetry between your eyelids. You won’t feel much if any pain during the procedure, but your eyelids may feel sore for a few days afterwards. Talk to your doctor to see if this surgery is an option for you.[6]

   • Ptosis surgery is a fairly low-risk procedure, but can in some cases result in scarring, infection, bleeding, or persistent dry eyes.
   • Ptosis surgery often costs between $2,000 and $5,000 USD, depending on your particular circumstances.

1. This procedure repairs structural issues with orbital bones and tissues. Most cases of eye asymmetry don’t involve the actual orbital bone structures, but congenital conditions or traumatic injuries can cause asymmetry. If so, orbital surgery can reconstruct the orbital bone and surrounding tissues to improve both functionality and appearance. Consult with an eye surgeon to see if orbital surgery is right for you.[7]

   • Orbital surgery is a reconstructive procedure that is more complex and involved than an eyelid lift, eyebrow lift, or ptosis surgery. Talk to your eye surgeon about the details of the procedure and expected recovery time.
   • Orbital surgery will cause temporary bruising, swelling, and possibly scarring, and may cause short-term blurred vision, double vision, or related issues. Long-term vision problems that require additional treatment are unlikely but possible.
   • Full recovery from orbital surgery might take 3 weeks.
   • Orbital surgery isn’t cheap! Expect it to cost somewhere in the range of $7,500 to $15,000 USD.

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1. Conceal asymmetry with eyeshadow, eyeliner, and/or mascara. You can’t fix asymmetrical eyes with makeup, of course, but you can help minimize the appearance of asymmetry—typically by applying a bit more product to the smaller eye. Try one or more of the following:

   • Eyeshadow. Apply powder eyeshadow a little bit higher up on the eyelid of the smaller eye. Try a lighter color like champagne gold or pink to make your eyes appear brighter and fuller.
   • Eyeliner. Make a thicker line on the droopier eye, and a thinner line on the opposite eye—this line should be further down, filling in the gaps where your eyelashes are.
   • Mascara. To make your drooping eyelid appear higher up, apply lengthening mascara to the top lashes on that side. Don’t add any to the other eye.
     • To make your eyelashes curl up, use a heated mascara wand or simply heat up your mascara using a hairdryer before applying it.[8]

1. Try this for an occasional, short-term eyelid lift. Eyelid tape refers to small, curved adhesive strips that are applied to sagging eyelids with small applicator sticks. They’re barely visible once applied, especially if you put on makeup afterward, and many brands and types can be found at beauty retailers, big-box stores, and online.

   • Eye doctors tend not to be big fans of eyelid tape—they have concerns about things like glue allergies, further stretching of the eyelid skin,[9] and possible impacts on eye function.[10] Consider talking to your doctor before using eyelid tape and, if you choose to proceed, using it only sparingly.
   • You can get a multi-pack of eyelid tape for around $10-$20 USD.

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1. Sleep won’t fix ptosis, but a lack of sleep may make it worse. Your eyelids feel heavier when you’re tired, and they look that way too! If you already have a drooping eyelid, a lack of high-quality sleep may exacerbate the problem and make your eyes appear even more asymmetrical. Alternatively, getting a good night’s sleep may help tighten and smooth the tissue around your eyes.[11]

   • Everyone’s sleep needs are different, but it’s generally best to aim for 7-9 hours of uninterrupted, high-quality sleep.

1. They’re usually safe to try, but are unlikely to make any difference. You can find a wide range of natural remedies for drooping eyelids online—cucumber slices, chamomile tea bags, aloe or egg white face masks, icing, even eating more grapes! Some of these methods may help reduce puffiness and tighten the skin around your eyes, but there’s no reason to think they’ll do anything to address your actual eye asymmetry.[12]

   • While natural remedies are unlikely to cause harm, applying products—even natural ones—to your eye area may in some cases cause irritation, discomfort, or other undesirable effects. If this happens to you, stop the treatment and contact your eye doctor.[13]

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1. Like natural remedies, "face yoga" is safe but unlikely to help. Be wary of outlandish claims for the benefits of facial exercises—often called "face yoga"—in fixing droopy eyelids. Generally speaking, it’s not possible to strengthen or tighten eye muscles and tissues through exercise. But "face yoga" won’t hurt you, so consider giving the following exercises a try:[14]

   • Create a circle around your eye with your thumb and index finger, then repeatedly switch between squinting and forehead wrinkling.
   • Open your eyes as wide as possible for several short bursts.
   • Create pressure on your forehead with your fingers, then create resistance by pushing your forehead up using your facial muscles.
   • Squint repeatedly while using your first two fingers to press down on the inside and outside corners of your eye.
   • Repeatedly open your eyes wide while sticking out your tongue, then go back to a resting state.

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This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Christopher M. Osborne, PhD. Christopher Osborne has been a wikiHow Content Creator since 2015. He is also a historian who holds a PhD from The University of Notre Dame and has taught at universities in and around Pittsburgh, PA. His scholarly publications and presentations focus on his research interests in early American history, but Chris also enjoys the challenges and rewards of writing wikiHow articles on a wide range of subjects. This article has been viewed 215,433 times.

Co-authors: 7

Updated: July 19, 2022

Views: 215,433

Categories: Vision

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

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