PATIENT SERVICES / Aesthetics Center
Aesthetic Eyelid Surgery
Your eyes are the first features that people notice and are an important aspect of attractiveness. Unfortunately, over the years eyelids can start to sag and may become droopy or puffy, and unflattering bags under your eyes make you look older. As you age, these changes can become permanent, giving you a tired appearance even when you feel refreshed and well-rested.
Aesthetic Eyelid Surgery
Your eyes are the first features that people notice and are an important aspect of attractiveness. Unfortunately, over the years eyelids can start to sag and may become droopy or puffy, and unflattering bags under your eyes make you look older. As you age, these changes can become permanent, giving you a tired appearance even when you feel refreshed and well-rested.
Several changes occur in our eyelids as we age. By your late 30s or early 40s, the thin skin of our eyelids starts to lose its elasticity and begins to stretch, resulting in excess folds of skin that may actually hang down over the edge of the upper eyelids. In most people, this skin is the "first to go." You may feel an extra heaviness in the upper lid or feel the skin sitting on your lashes. Besides affecting your appearance, such conditions may also cause symptoms of ocular fatigue. In severe cases, it could even lead to impaired vision.
The eyelids have a fundamental mission in protecting the eye. The ocular anterior segment, especially the cornea, are very delicate structures that need to be in perfect condition to maintain their functions. The eyelids are essential elements for that task, and any change in position can lead to a bad eye protection, abnormal ocular surface, and visual impairment.
There are several kinds of eyelid malpositions or aesthetic eyelid surgeries: Blepharoplasty, Ectropion and Entropion, Ptosis, Eyelid Retraction.
Blepharoplasty
Blepharoplasty is the term used for eyelid surgery to correct the baggy and sagging tissues around the eyes. It restores a more youthful appearance by creating a firmer, area around your eyes, while improving any vision impairments caused by hanging eyelids. It can be done alone, or in conjunction with other facial surgery procedures.
Excess skin, muscle or fat will need to be removed to achieve this. Surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia. Incisions are made along the natural folds of the eyelid skin so that they are virtually unnoticeable when they heal.
The eyelid crease will also be enhanced through double eyelid surgery (Asian eyelid surgery). The name, as the name suggests, is associated with Asians as they usually undergo this type of surgery for the eyes to look bigger and wider.
Upper eyelid surgery / Upper blepharoplasty
It is a procedure that improves the appearance as well as the function of the upper lids. It improves the function in patients whose sight is impaired by the drooping and loose skin that hoods over the visual axis. It entails the removal of skin and occasionally orbital fat to restore the youthful look of the eyes. It can add an upper eyelid crease to Asian eyes (double eyelid procedure) without erasing evidence of ethnic or racial heritage.
Lower eyelid surgery / Lower blepharoplasty
This procedure is almost always cosmetic. It is done to remove the puffiness of the lower lid caused by prolapsing orbital fat or eyebags. It does not remove crow’s feet or other wrinkles. Nor does it eliminate dark circles under the eyes.
Who is a good candidate for eyelid surgery?
Good candidates for the procedure are adult men and women who have healthy facial tissue and muscles, do not smoke, and do not have a life-threatening illness or medical condition that could impact healing. The patient should have a positive outlook and realistic goals for improvement of the upper and/or lower eyelids and surrounding area.
You’re a good candidate for eyelid surgery if you have:
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Excess skin above or below your eyes
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Hanging eyelids that affect your vision
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A half-circle shaped line under the eyes
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Eye puffiness
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Skin around your eyes that adds years to your face
Are there any potential risks associated with blepharoplasty?
Just like all surgeries, complications and potential risks are always present. The primary risks associated with the procedure include bleeding, infections, scarring, inability to fully close your eyes, double vision, loss of vision, dry eyes, or abnormal eyelid position. In the event of these complications, contact your physician immediately for further assistance.
Ptosis
Ptosis is drooping of the whole upper lid which can be in-born (congenital) or acquired. It is due to poor muscle function to raise the lid. If for some reason this muscle does not work well, the lid can not be opened properly, leading to discomfort of an aesthetic nature. If the eyelid falls too, it can interfere with vision. In children, this can lead to lazy eye.
Ectropion and Entropion
In ectropion and entropion, the lid margin loses its normal alignment with the eye. Entropion is the inward turning of the lower lid while ectropion is the outward turning of the lower lid. In ectropion ocular exposure increases, which leads to chronic eye irritation, pain, and tearing. In entropion, the eyelashes are continuously in contact with the cornea, causing further irritation. Both entropion and ectropion can be caused by infections, trauma, burns, and the loosening of the lids due to aging.
Eyelid Retraction
Eyelid Retraction is when the upper eyelid is abnormally high or the lower eyelid is abnormally low. Eyelid Retraction can lead to a wider than normal opening of the eyelids producing a wide eyed stare and causing drying of the eyes. This condition may irritate the ocular structure, cause vision discomfort and harmful effects on the cornea.
The most common cause of Eyelid Retraction in adults is thyroid eye disease
All these eyelid malpositions are normally treated by an Oculoplastic surgeon, who performs surgical procedures to reposition specific muscles and tissues in order to restore proper positioning and appearance of the eyelids in relation to the eyeball.