Cosmetic eyelid surgery, called blepharoplasty, is a surgical procedure to improve the appearance of the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both, and give a rejuvenated appearance to the surrounding area of your eyes, making you look more rested and alert. Specifically, eyelid surgery can treat:
- Loose or sagging skin that creates folds or disturbs the natural contour of the upper eyelid, sometimes impairing vision
- Excess fatty deposits that appear as puffiness in the upper eyelids
- Bags under the eyes
- Droopiness of the lower eyelids, showing white below iris (colored portion of the eye)
- Excess skin and fine wrinkles of the lower eyelid
Eyelid surgery is usually performed on adult men and women who have healthy facial tissue and muscles and have realistic goals for improvement of the upper and/or lower eyelids and surrounding area. You should do it for yourself, not to fulfill someone else’s desires or to try to fit any sort of ideal image. Good candidates are:
- Healthy individuals who do not have a life-threatening illness or medical conditions that can impair healing
- Non-smokers
- Individuals with a positive outlook and specific goals in mind for blepharoplasty
You must tell your doctor if you have any of these medical conditions:
- Eye disease such as glaucoma, dry eye, or a detached retina
- Thyroid disorders such as Graves’ disease and under or overactive thyroid
- Cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, or other circulatory disorders or diabetes
A consultation with Dr. Han is the first step to learn how eyelid surgery can make you look more rested and enchance your appearance. A consultation is designed to fully educate you about eyelide surger in a non-pressured environment, and will include:
- Why you want the surgery, your expectations and desired outcome
- Medical conditions, drug allergies, and previous medical treatments
- Use of current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drugse
- Previous surgeries
The doctor may also:
- Evaluate your general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors
- Take photographs for your medical record
- Discuss your options and recommend a course of treatment
- Discuss likely outcomes of eyelid surgery and any risks or potential complications
- Discuss the type of anesthesia that will be used
By making the decision to consult with a qualified plastic surgeon like Dr. Han and following all the instructions given, you are taking an important step in helping to assure your safety.
Possible risks of a liposuction inlcude but are not limited to:
- Unfavorable scarring
- Temporarily blurred or impaired vision
- Dry eyes
- Difficulty closing your eyes
- Lid lag, a pulling down of the lower eyelid may occur and is often temporary
- Ectropion, rolling of the eyelid outwards
- Bleeding (hematoma)
- Poor would healing
- Infection
- Fluid accumulation
- Blood clots
- Numbness and other changes in skin sensation
- Eyelid disorders that involve abnormal position of the upper eyelids (eyelid ptosis), loose eyelid skin, or abnormal laxness of the lower eyelid(ectropion) can coexist with sagging forehead and eyebrow structures; brow lift surgery will not correct these disorders; additional surgery may be required
- Skin discoloration and swelling
- Sutures may spontaneously surface through the skin, become visible or produce irritation that require removal
- Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications
- Possibility of revisional surgery
- Loss of eyesight
All surgery carries risks associated with anesthesia. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure and any risks or potential complications.
Prior to surgery, you will be given specific instructions tha may include:
- Getting lab testing or a medical evaluation
- Taking certain medications or adjust your current medications
- Stopping smoking well in advance of surgery
- Avoiding taking aspiring, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding
- What do to on the night before and the morning of surgery
- The use of anesthesia during your procedure
- Post-operative care and follow-up
It is natural to feel some anxiety, whether excitement for the anticipated outcome or preoperative stress. It’s very important to address all your questions and concerns directly with the doctor.
Eyelid surgery may be performed in our accredited office-based surgical facility or an ambulatory surgical facility or hospital. The decision for anesthesia will be based on the requirements of your specific procedure and considerations of patient and the doctor’s preference.
If your eyelid surgery is performed on an outpatient basis, be sure to arrange for someone to drive you to and from surgery and to stay with you for at least the first night following surgery.
Step 1 - The incision lines for eyelid surgery are made, designed for scars to be well concealed within the natural structures of the eyelid region.
Droopy conditions of the upper eyelid can be corrected through an incision within the natural crease of the upper eyelid allowing repositioning of fat deposits, tightening of muscles and tissue, and/or removal of excess skin.
Conditions of the lower eyelid may be corrected with an incision just below the lower lash line. Through this incision, excess skin in the lower eyelids is removed.
A transconjunctival incision, one hidden inside the lower eyelid, is an alternate technique to correct lower eyelid conditions and redistribute or remove excess fat.
Step 2 - Eyelid incisions are typically closed with removable or absorbable sutures, skin adhesives or surgical tape.
Step 3 – The doctor may use a laser chemical peel to erase dark discoloration of the lower eyelids.
After your procedure is completed, lubricating ointment and cold compresses may be applied and in some cases your eyes may be loosely covered with gauze.
The doctor will also instruct you how to care for your eyes, medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the risk of infection, specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health and when to come in for follow up visits. It is important that the surgical incisions are not subjected to excessive force, abrasion or motion during the time of healing
Initial healing may include some swelling, bruising, irritation, or dry eyes and discomfort that can be controlled with medication, cold compresses, and ointment. Irritation at the incision sites also is possible.
The results of eyelid surgery will appear gradually as swelling and bruising subside to reveal a smooth, better-defined eyelid and surrounding region, and an alert and rejuvenated appearance.
You must practice diligent sun protection and use darkly tinted sunglasses until the healing process is fully complete
Although good results are expected, there is no guarantee. In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure.
Your final results will appear within several weeks, but it may take up to a year for incision lines to fully refine. While eyelid surgery can be expected to correct certain conditions permanently, you will continue to age naturally. Life-long sun protection will help to maintain your result.
