Blepharoplasty is the medical term for an eye lift or eyelid surgery. Candidates also seek out blepharoplasty if they have significant bags under their eyes or if their eyebrows are starting to sag. For some people, a blepharoplasty goes beyond cosmetic concerns. You might be a good candidate for this procedure if your vision is affected by sagging skin. Some people may complain that their vision when looking upwards is blocked by the hanging skin.

This surgical procedure involves the removal of excess skin and fat from the eyelid and surrounding areas. An Upper Blepharoplasty corrects ‘hooding’ of the upper eyelid, a Lower Blepharoplasty (External Incision) corrects an excess of skin, wrinkles or bags, and a Lower Blepharoplasty (Internal Incision), where a small incision is made on the inside of the lower eyelid, and therefore leaves no visible scar.

Eyelid reshaping is suitable for people with:

• Impaired peripheral vision
• Dropping or hooded upper eyelids
• Wrinkles under the eyes
• Eyes feeling & looking tired/heavy
• A single eyelid that would like to create a double eyelid appearance
• Bags or puffiness beneath the eyes

The procedure

Dr. Tebyanian performs eyelid reshaping at Olney Center for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery under a combination of local anesthetic and IV sedation. The procedure will take between 60-90 minutes.

How long will I need off work?

Most patients that have undergone eyelid reshaping surgery will need 7-14 days off work depending on the level of physical activity in their industry.

Is there discomfort?

The feeling that most patients report is mild to moderate discomfort due largely to the swelling. Discomfort can be eased with medication that is available over-the-counter. Rarely, strong pain may be experienced by patients which can be managed with stronger, prescribed medications.

Eyelid Surgery risks and complications

Bruising & swelling

Swelling and bruising will vary for each person. Current surgical techniques minimize this but occasionally some patients do have a higher level of bruising or swelling which in no way affects the final result.

Ice packs applied for 30-60 minutes will reduce the swelling and after 1-2 weeks you shouldn’t expect any swelling or bruising. If the bruise spreads to the white of the eye and turns bright red, don’t panic. The bruise will settle in around 2 weeks.

Milia

Sometimes milia (small whiteheads) can form in reaction to sutures. Eyelid skin is more prone to milia than other areas, especially in people with oily skin. They are not a problem and are easily treatable.

Watery or dry eyes

Watery or dry eyes may occur after the surgery and can last for a few weeks. It is rare for this to continue beyond three months.

Chemois (jelly eye) can occasionally develop in blepharoplasty patients which causes some swelling in the clear portion of the eye. Eye Drops can help chemois to settle quicker, although this will settle on its own.

Eye Shape

Going into eyelid reshaping surgery most people start with eyes that are slightly different shapes. Dr. Tebyanian makes every attempt to make the eyes as asymmetrical as possible but occasionally there are minor differences between the eyes. This poses no medical issue and the difference is too small for other people to notice.

Scarring

Blepharoplasty has been specifically designed to improve the skin and soft tissues around the eye. Occasionally the soft tissues heal in a way that gives a slightly unnatural appearance to the eyelid. Rarely, this can require revision to improve the shape.

Most of the time scars from eyelid surgery heal extremely well. Patients with a history of keloid or hypertrophic scarring may have scars that remain more noticeable. You should let your surgeon know prior to surgery if you have previously had problems with scar healing.

Under correction

Sometimes not quite enough skin is removed in order to prevent the serious complication of excessive skin removal that can limit full closure of the eye. Under correction can be simply resolved with trimming of any extra skin under local anesthetic as required.