Cosmetic Eye Surgery

Cosmetic eye surgery is a procedure used to remove fat, muscle and excess skin from the area around the eyes to generate a more youthful and refreshed appearance. The surgery can be performed both on the lower and upper eyelids, separately or at the same time.

Why Have a Cosmetic Eye Surgery?

As you grow older, the skin around the eyes becomes less elastic. You may get loose skin folds on the upper lids and visible wrinkles on the lower eyelids. Your muscles can also slacken and excess fat may cause your eyelids to look baggy. Cosmetic eye surgery can conquer these problems by removing excess skin, fat or both from the area around your eyes. Baggy eyes are not always the result of aging. You can also get this in your 20s as a result of a family inherited trait.

Cosmetic eye surgery can also help if loose skin folds from your upper eyelids interfere with your vision. It can remove wrinkles as well, but only those from the skin that is removed during surgery. It won't improve "crow's feet" or dark colored circles under your eyes. It's essential to have a discussion with your eye surgeon before the operation in order to have realistic expectations about the outcomes.

The Cosmetic Eye Surgery Procedure

A cosmetic eye surgery can last one to three hours or less if only lower or upper lids are being treated. Usually you can go home the same day. However, some patients may have to stay in the hospital for observation for a couple of nights.

The surgery can be performed either using a local anesthesia, where the area surrounding the eyes is numb but the patient is awake, or a general anesthesia, where the patient is asleep. For surgeries on upper lids, incisions are made into the natural wrinkles of the eyelid and the laughter lines in the eye corner. For surgeries on lower lids, incisions are made right under the eyelashes.

Excess skin, fat and muscle are then removed and fine stitches are used for closing the cut. If the surgeon removes just fat, the incision can be made on the inside of the lower lid with no visible scarring. This procedure is called transconjunctival blepharoplasty. The stitches are usually removed within 2-7 days after the surgical procedure.

Are There Any Alternatives to Cosmetic Eye Surgery?
For some patients, wrinkles in the eye area can be improved with laser or chemical treatments or by forehead or brow lift surgery. There are also many products, such as gels, creams and beauty treatments that claim to reduce wrinkles. However, there has been no scientific proof that these treatments can permanently reduce the signs of aging.

A consultation with a cosmetic eye surgeon will help you find out whether a cosmetic eye surgery is a good choice for you and what results you should expect. A doctor should also be able to tell you whether your appearance can be improved by using other treatments instead.