Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 11/24/2009
Each year approximately 100,000 people choose to have cosmetic surgery of the eyelids. Many others have the procedure for medical indications. If blepharoplasty is done for cosmetic reasons, patients are usually screened to determine that...
they are physically and psychologically healthy. Most patients are at least 35 years old, though younger people occasionally choose to have the procedure as well. Patients must be able to give informed consent for the procedure, which means they must be able to understand what will happen during the procedure and the possible risks.
they are physically and psychologically healthy. Most patients are at least 35 years old, though younger people occasionally choose to have the procedure as well. Patients must be able to give informed consent for the procedure, which means they must be able to understand what will happen during the procedure and the possible risks.
Asian patients that are pursuing eyelid surgery to place a pretarsal crease in the upper eyelid are either girls in their teens, women in their early twenties, or men in their twenties or thirties. Proper psychological screening usually needs to be done prior to embarking on this form of surgery. Approximately 50% of Asians (e.g. Korean, Japanese, Chinese, etc.) do not have a pretarsal crease.
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A graphic animation of what causes fat and sagging eyelids. The video describes what takes place during eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty).
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Blepharoplasty can be both a functional and cosmetic surgical procedure intended to reshape the upper eyelid or lower eyelid by the removal or repositioning of excess tissue as well as by reinforcement of surrounding muscles and tendons. When an advanced amount of upper eyelid skin is present, the skin may hang over the eyelashes and cause a loss of peripheral vision. The outer and upper parts of the visual field are most commonly affected and the condition may cause difficulty with activities such as driving or reading. In this circumstance, upper eyelid blepharoplasty is performed to improve peripheral vision. Patients with a less severe amount of excess skin may have a similar procedure performed for cosmetic reasons. Lower eyelid blepharoplasty is almost always done for cosmetic reasons, to improve puffy lower eyelid "bags" and reduce the wrinkling of skin.
Blepharoplasty is performed through external incisions made along the natural skin lines of the eyelids, such as the creases of the upper lids and below the lashes of the lower lids, or from the inside surface of the lower eyelid. Initial swelling and bruising take one to two weeks to resolve but at least several months are needed until the final result becomes stable. Depending upon the scope of the procedure, the operation takes one to three hours to complete.
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