Horner’s Syndrome Sympathetic Facial Nerve Damage Causes Ptosis Droopy Eyelid & Anhidrosis

Horner’s syndrome is a rare health condition that is caused by damage to a sympathetic nerve that controls one side of your face and the corresponding eye. This facial loss of nerve is what causes its distinguishing symptoms of ptosis and anhidrosis.

Horners syndrome is typically just a one sided facial nerve problem. Thus, causing a droopy eyelid and decreased sweating just on the affected half.

The genesis of Horner syndrome is sympathetic nerve damage somewhere along its circuitous route from the hypothalamus to your eye. The pathway of these facial nerves is through your brain stem, down your spinal cord, into your chest, back up your neck along your carotid artery, into your skull and finally to your eye.  And should any one of these sympathetic facial nerves become damaged along the way, Horner’s syndrome can result.

Horner’s syndrome is not a disease.  It’s a group of symptoms signaling some other health malady.

Symptoms of Horner’s syndrome facial nerve paralysis include:

  • flushing
  • sinking eyeball
  • ptosis ~ drooping eyelid
  • miosis ~ constricted pupil
  • slight elevation of lower lid
  • anisocoria ~ decreased pupil size
  • facial anhidrosis ~ decreased, no sweat

In the rare instance that you’re born with Horner’s syndrome, then your affected iris may be lighter than the other.

Horner’s syndrome can be caused by any interruption or injury in a sympathetic nerve fiber. Health conditions that can damage sympathetic facial nerve fibers, thus causing Horner’s syndrome, include:

Eye drops and certain medications may also lead to your ptosis and anhidrosis suffering. And sometimes a specific cause won’t be found, which is known as idiopathic Horners syndrome.

There is no specific treatment for Horner syndrome itself. Instead, treating the underlying health situation often effectively fixes your droopy eyelid and no sweat status.

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