BBC presenter Clive Myrie sparked concern on Monday night after he took to his usual anchoring position on News At Six. Through the half hour show, viewers noticed his left eyelid was drooping increasingly, almost appearing half closed while his right eye was fully open.
Concerned for his wellbeing, many took to X questioning if he was alright and speculating about his health until the broadcaster released a statement to clear the air. He assured people it was “just an infection”, which an official BBC statement corroborated.
Ptosis, which is drooping of the eyelid like Clive experienced, can be a common occurrence in some groups. An estimated three percent of people who receive Botox could develop the droopy eyelid within two weeks of their injections and a UK study in 1995 noted 42% of Brits over the age of 80 had ptosis.
According to Moorfields Eye Hospital, some early symptoms of the condition include difficulty keeping your eyelids open, experiencing eyestrain or an ache in your eyebrow. Usually this bizarre eyebrow pain is due to the increased effort it takes to raise your eyelids. It can also cause fatigue, especially when reading.
While it’s usually just a cosmetic problem and may return to normal once the underlying issue causing it has been resolved, surgery is sometimes needed on the eyelid to prevent it from affecting vision. There are a variety of causes including congenital ptosis which is present at birth or developed during adulthood due to an infection, growths, injury, long-term contact lens wear or a complication after eye operations.
Marcus Gunn, a type of ptosis, is the result of an abnormal connection between the facial nerves and is usually spotted in early childhood. It causes one droopy eyelid that rises when the jaw is opened, also known as ‘jaw-winking’ ptosis.
While Clive’s ptosis sparked concern, some celebrities have embraced their differences and made their uneven eyes a trademark. Legendary actor Forest Whitaker notoriously has ptosis on his left eye and Radiohead musician Thom Yorke has been candid about his health difficulties as his left eye was paralyzed when he was born and numerous failed eye surgeries ultimately left him with ptosis.