Blepharoplasty
Eyelid rejuvenation is a surgical procedure to remove excess skin or fatty deposits from eyelids. The treatment usually gives eyes a more youthful, rested appearance. Both eyes are treated to keep a symmetrical appearance. Either upper or lower eyelids may be treated, or both, as desired. Other facial surgery such as face-lift or skin resurfacing may be performed at the same time. However, to keep procedures from affecting each other, they may be scheduled separately.
The procedure takes between one-half and two hours, usually under local anesthesia. Intravenous sedation may be given if the patient wants it. A general anesthesia is used if a face-lift is also performed. The lid is cut along the eyelid fold, across to the smile lines. A parallel cut removes an excess skin fold. Fatty tissue in the lower lid is removed through an incision just below the eyelash or an incision on the inner surface of the lid. Stitches close the incisions. A weak eyelid muscle may cause an eyelid to droop, called blepharoptosis. This condition can also be treated, with or without eyelid rejuvenation.
After surgery, swelling may keep the eyelids from completely closing and causing eye dryness. This temporary condition can be relieved by applying artificial tears or ointments. Patients who have dry eyes before surgery should consult an ophthalmologist before considering eyelid rejuvenation. Stitches are removed after four to seven days. Discoloration usually goes away after several weeks; swelling may require slightly longer to completely go down.
Eyelid rejuvenation is a relatively safe and straightforward. Temporary blurred vision usually clears up within a few days. Rarely, a drooping or retracted eyelid, or darkening of the lids may be caused by blood residue, but can usually be treated satisfactorily. On extremely rare occasions, blindness in an eye may occur.
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| The amount of extra skin to remove around the eyes is estimated conservatively before the surgery. |  |
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If part of the problem involves the bulging fat pads, these are conservatively removed in order to avoid the “hollow” eye look. | |
| The skin is brought back together leaving small scars that are well hidden in the upper eyelid crease and just below the eyelashes in the lower eyelid. |  |
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Examples of this kind of surgery can be found in our gallery.