Which term means drooping of the eyelid?

• A. Ptosis
• B. Blepharoptosis
• C. Paresthesia
• D. Concussion

Answer: (B)

Blepharoptosis is the precise term for drooping of the eyelid. The building blocks show why: blepharo- means eyelid, and -ptosis means drooping. Put together, they describe the specific condition of the eyelid sagging. The shorter word ptosis is a general term for drooping and can apply to other parts of the body, so blepharoptosis is the more exact label when talking about the eyelid. The other terms refer to completely different concepts—paresthesia is an abnormal sensation, and concussion is a head injury—so they don’t describe eyelid drooping.