Eye Lift Surgery

The eyes are a facial feature that is affected by the aging process, causing drooping and sagging around the eye. Surgery is performed to renew the natural facial expressions and give an aging face new vibrancy. This procedure will correct eyelid dropping and sagging, however the eyebrow and wrinkles around the eye are treated with separate procedures.

Function

Eyelid surgery is known as Blepharoplasty. The procedure involves removing excess fat and skin, and muscle if necessary, from the lower and upper areas of the eye lid to lift the area. Blepharoplasty is usually performed with other cosmetic procedures, such as a face lift or brow lift.

Causes

The area around the eyes will start to droop and sag as a person gets older. Causes of this condition are sun damage to the face, smoking, and swelling and shrinking of the skin from obesity. Rubbing the eye area continually will also cause the skin to stretch. As a person ages, the skin elasticity decreases and damage to the eye area becomes more apparent.

Post Surgery Healing

After surgery the eyes will be bandaged with a lubrication applied. It is important to follow the procedures set by the surgeon so the eyes heal properly. This will also reduce the risk of complications. Information will be given that explains the correct ways to clean the eye area, using a cold compress for swelling and how to add eye drops for lubrication. The first several days after surgery there is to be no makeup, television viewing or wearing of contact lenses. One week following surgery, the stitches will be removed by the surgeon. In many cases, normal activity will resume 10 to 14 days following surgery.

Complications

It is normal for several days after surgery to have tearing, blurry vision, or itching and burning eyes. The lubricating eye drops will relieve these symptoms. A common complication of the upper eyelid is a build up of blood behind the socket resulting in blurred vision. This must be treated and corrected immediately to prevent damage to the eye. A complication that will not go away is difficulty in closing the eyes. In this case, additional surgery may need to be done to correct the problem. Too much skin or fat may be removed, causes a pulled or hollow look to the eye. In many cases, this complication cannot be fixed as the skin and fat can not be manipulated any further. An infection in the eye or incision area can also occur.

Warning

Choosing a qualified plastic surgeon is important. A patient puts their trust in the surgeon with the hopes that there will be no complications. When searching for a plastic surgeon some things to look for are the credentials of the surgeon performing the procedure including training and number of times this particular procedure was done by them and the practice. Ask about risks and complications, including healing time for the procedure. If there are hesitations, don't be afraid to ask questions prior to the surgery.