Eyelid Workout: Are They Effective For Droopy Eyelids?

Ptosis Surgery

Eyelid workouts, also called eyelid strengthening exercises, are often suggested as a natural way to lift sagging eyelids. These exercises target the muscles that control eyelid movement, especially the levator, to make the area firmer and more toned. But here’s the real question: do these exercises actually help droopy eyelids?

In this guide, you’ll learn 9 eyelid workouts (eye squeezes, eyebrow raises, Trataka yogic eye, and more). Explore everything about eyelid strengthening exercises here.

Why To Do An Eyelid Workout?

Before starting your eyelid workout routine, knowing what it may help is important. The eyelid exercises are thought to affect the eye muscles, particularly the levator, which assists in raising the upper lid. The premise of these eye exercises is to condition and strengthen the muscles, thereby giving the eyelid region a slight lift. 

You might benefit from droopy eyelid exercises if you experience ptosis.

Here Are 9 Best Eyelid Strengthening Exercises To Try.

1. Warm up exercises
2. Eye squeezes
3. Eyelid resistance exercise
4. Eyebrow raises
5. Blinking exercises
6. Trataka yogic eye exercises
7. Basic muscle stimulation
8. Eye patch workout
9. Forehead push

Let’s explore how to do these exercises for lazy eyelids.

1. Warm Up Exercises

Warming up makes a big difference. It boosts circulation, relaxes tight muscles, and prepares the eyelids for exercise. To do it:

• Wash your face and eyelid area gently.
• With clean hands, lightly massage the eyelids in small circular motions.
• Place a warm compress or towel over closed eyes for 1-2 minutes.
• This softens the muscles and improves nerve response, making the workout more effective.

2. Eye Squeezes

Eye squeezes improve circulation around the eyes and tone the muscles responsible for eyelid elevation. To do it

• Sit down with your back straight. 
• Let your eyes shut tightly for approximately five seconds.
• Feel the muscles around your eyes contract. 
• Open your eyes as wide as you can for another five seconds. 
• Repeat the exercise 10–20 times.

3. Eyelid Resistant Exercise

This is another essential eyelid strengthening exercise that works on the levator muscles, which control the eyelid’s movement, potentially giving you a firmer and more open look. To do it:

• Sit quietly with your eyes shut. 
• Extend both index fingers to the outer edge of each eye.
• Gently resist the movement. 
• Try to open your eyes lightly as the fingers are still there to resist it.
• Then hold the position for a few seconds while doing 10 to 15 repetitions.

4. Eyebrow Raises

An eyebrow raise with resistance is another sagging eyelid exercise that targets both brow and eyelid muscles, thus preventing them from sagging. The effort is always to make them firm, making them resistant to sag in the upper eyelid region. To do this eyelid strengthening exercise:

• Put your index fingers just below the eyebrows, gently push up. 
• As you are doing so, try to let your eyebrows fall against the resistance of your fingers. 
• Hold for a few seconds and release. 
• Repeat 10 to 15 times.

5. Blinking Exercise

Blinking exercises work the eye muscles and keep muscle tone around the eyelids. It could slow the onset of drooping. Do this eyelid workout:

• Blink your eyes rapidly for 30 seconds. 
• Then close and relax your eyes for a few seconds. 
• Do this exercise several times a day.

6. Trataka Yogic Eye Exercise

Trataka is a yogic practice that strengthens eye muscles, improves focus, and may support eyelid control. It involves steady gazing without blinking. There are two types:

• Bahiranga Trataka (External): gazing at an outside point like a candle flame or a spot on the wall.
• Antaranga Trataka (Internal): focusing on a mental image with eyes closed.

For eyelid workouts, Bahiranga Trataka is more practical. Here’s how to do it:

• Sit straight on the floor or in a firm chair with your head still.
• Pick a fixed point at eye level (such as a dot on the wall).
• Keep your eyes open and gaze at the point without blinking for a few seconds.
• Slowly shift your gaze to the right shoulder, then back to the centre, then to the left shoulder.
• You can also move your gaze up, down, at the tip of your nose, or in slow circles.
• Always return to the central point before starting the next movement.

7. Basic Muscle Stimulation

Direct stimulation can activate small eyelid muscles and improve responsiveness. To do it:

• Sit comfortably with eyes gently closed.
• Move your eyes slowly up, down, left, and right.
• Optionally, place a safe vibrating tool (like the handle of an electric toothbrush) against the closed eyelid for a few seconds.
• Continue for 2-3 minutes daily.

8. Eye Patch Workout

If only one eyelid droops, the stronger eye usually takes over. Using a patch makes the weaker eyelid do more work. To do it:

• Cover the stronger eye with a soft eye patch.
• Do light activities like reading, watching TV, or using your phone.
• Keep the patch on for 10-15 minutes to give the weaker eyelid passive exercise.

Add all these eye strengthening exercises to your daily routine to help improve the activity of the muscles around your eyes. 

9. Forehead Push

This exercise engages not only the eyelids but also the forehead and surrounding muscles, giving the upper eye area extra support. To do it:

• Place the palms of your hands flat against your forehead.
• Gently push your forehead downward with your palms.
• At the same time, try to open your eyes wide and lift your eyelids.
• Hold the tension for 2-3 seconds, then relax.
• Repeat 10-15 times.

Are Droopy Eyelids Exercises Effective?

Eyelid workouts can improve muscle tone around the eyes and may give a slight lift if sagging is mild. But results can vary.

For minor drooping, consistent practice (about 20–30 minutes a day, most days of the week) may help strengthen the levator and surrounding muscles. However, these exercises are unlikely to fix moderate to severe ptosis or produce dramatic changes.

If you’re looking for lasting improvement, especially when vision is affected, medical treatments are usually more effective than exercises alone.

Medical Treatments for Droopy Eyelids

When exercises aren’t enough and droopy eyelids affect vision or daily life, medical treatments can provide more effective, long-term results.

Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Surgery)

Blepharoplasty is one of the most common surgical procedures for droopy eyelids.

• Upper eyelid blepharoplasty removes excess skin, muscle, and fat from the upper lid to lift and open the eyes.
• Lower eyelid blepharoplasty addresses puffiness and sagging under the eyes, improving the overall eye contour.

The surgery is usually done under local anaesthesia with sedation, though in some cases general anaesthesia may be recommended. Recovery is typically quick, with most patients returning to normal activities within 1-2 weeks.

Ptosis Surgery

Ptosis surgery corrects droopy upper eyelids by tightening or reattaching the levator muscle (the muscle responsible for lifting the lid). The procedure is usually performed under local anaesthesia through an incision in the eyelid crease, which allows the surgeon to adjust the muscle.

Depending on the severity and cause of the ptosis, techniques may include:

• Levator resection – shortening the levator muscle to create a stronger lift.
• Frontalis suspension – connecting the eyelid to the forehead muscle so the brow helps raise the lid (used in severe cases or when the levator is weak).

Benefits include improved vision, reduced eye strain and headaches, and better eyelid symmetry. Risks, as with any surgery, may include bruising, swelling, or infection.

Final Thoughts On Eyelid Workouts

Eyelid strengthening exercises are often recommended to preserve more reasonable muscle tone around the eyes and avoid further sagging, which will be helpful. For those whose lids sag just slightly, exercises will likely make some slight improvement over time. But for more dramatic or longer-lasting improvements moderate to severe droopy eyelid conditions-surgery is the best way.

If eyelid exercises are used with skincare or to combat ageing, they may become a helpful supplement. However, ptosis correction in Leeds may be the best, most reliable, and impact-producing solution for extremely droopy eyelids to achieve an alert appearance.