Eyelid surgery
Eyelid surgery (technically known as blepharoplasty) is a procedure used to remove fat usually at the same time as excess skin and muscle from the upper and lower eyelids. Surgery can correct the separation of the upper eyelids and the pocketing of the lower part of the eyes, which are features that can make you look older and more tired than you feel, and in some they can even interfere with your vision. However, this procedure does not eliminate wrinkles or “crow’s feet”, or dark circles under the eyes or raise the drooping eyebrows. Although it can help to increase the fold of a superior eyelid in the eyes of Asian people, it will not erase the characteristics of its ethnic or racial features. Blepharoplasty can be performed alone or at the same time as other facial surgical procedures, perhaps as a facelift or eyebrow or any other surgery that allows you to improve your appearance.
The best candidates
The best candidates for eyelid surgery are physically healthy men and women, psychologically stable and realistic in their expectations. The majority of patients who request this surgery are 35 years old or older, however, if the drooping eyelids are typical of their family traits, they may decide to undergo eyelid surgery at a younger age.
Planning your surgery
Initial consultation is very important Be sure to let us know if you are allergic to anything; if you are taking vitamins, medications (either prescribed or any other drug) also inform us if you smoke, as well as the suffering of some kind of disease, especially those related to the thyroid gland and those related to vision. You will be asked to bring a report of your ophthalmological status to the consultation. If you wear common or contact lenses, be sure to bring them. We will decide if it is necessary to treat the four eyelids or only the upper or lower eyelids and if it is appropriate to perform additional procedures.
Getting ready for your surgery
We will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery including rules for eating, drinking, smoking, and certain vitamins or medications you should take or avoid. Following these instructions carefully will help your surgery to be performed more efficiently and without hindrance. When making preparations be sure to arrange for someone to accompany you home after surgery and to help you for a few days if necessary.
Where will your surgery be done?
The surgery is performed in the clinic, which has all the necessary medical equipment and the greatest comfort for you. The day of surgery should come with the washed face, and without makeup. You should arrive about 30 minutes before the scheduled time, to make the entry procedures, make a complete medical history, and take preoperative photographs. In your room you can change clothes. After the surgery, he will stay in the clinic for two to four hours, until we make sure everything is in order and he can return to his home, where he will continue to rest.
Types of anesthesia
Eyelid surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia which numbs the area around the eyes along with oral or intravenous sedatives. You will be awake during surgery but you will find yourself relaxed and insensitive to pain. Occasionally, you may feel some small burning during the administration of local anesthesia, similar to what you may experience at the dentist, but that disappears in seconds.
Surgery
Generally blepharoplasty is taken from one to three hours depending on the extent of the surgery. If you are going to work on the four eyelids you will start with the upper eyelids and then the lower ones.
In a typical procedure, the incisions are made following the natural lines of your eyelids: the folds of your upper eyelids and just below the lashes on the lower eyelid. The incisions can extend to the crow’s feet (or lines that form when you smile at the outer corners of your eyes). By working through these incisions, the skin is separated from the internal fat and muscle tissue, extracts excess fat and generally cuts off excess skin and muscles. Subsequently, the incisions are closed with very fine sutures. If you have a bag of fat below the lower eyelids but it is not necessary to remove the skin, we are likely to perform a transconjunctival blepharoplasty. In this procedure the incision is made inside the lower eyelid without leaving any visible scar. This is usually done in younger patients who have thicker and more elastic skin.
After surgery
After the surgery, we will apply some lubricating ophthalmic drops and a cold dressing the first few hours. Probably your eyes feel a little tense and sore as the anesthesia is removed, these symptoms will be completely controlled with analgesic medication that we will indicate. If you feel severe pain, you should call us immediately. You should follow a series of indications such as keeping your head elevated for several days and using cold compresses to reduce inflammation and bruising. (This varies from person to person, it reaches its maximum during the first week and gradually decreases from two weeks to a month.) You will be taught how to clean your eyes, which may get a bit sticky for about a week. Usually we indicate ophthalmic drops, since your eyes may feel a bit dry at first and you may feel your eyes burning or itching. For the first few weeks you may also experience increased tearing and sensitivity to light. The sutures will be removed two to five days after the surgery. Once these are removed, the inflammation or discoloration that surrounds your eyes will gradually diminish, beginning to look and feel much better.
Getting back to normal
Must be able to read or watch television after two or three days. However, you will not be able to wear contact lenses for about two weeks, and even then they may cause you some discomfort for a period of time. Most people feel ready to go out to the public (and back to work) in a period of one week to ten days. At that time, you can use makeup to cover the remnant of a bruise if it exists. It is probably sensitive to sunlight, wind and other irritants for several weeks, therefore, when it comes out it is advisable to wear sunglasses for the sun and apply a sunscreen on the eyelids. Keep your activities to a minimum for three or five days and avoid more strenuous activities for at least three weeks. It is especially important to avoid activities that increase blood pressure, including bending, lifting, and rigorous sports. Avoid alcohol, as it causes fluid retention, as well as smoking and being in contact with smokers in a closed area.
Your new look
Eyelid scars tend to be imperceptible very soon, and the final result can be around two months. But do not forget that scarring is a gradual process and the scars may remain slightly pink for some time afterwards. Surgery. However, later they disappear, having the appearance of a thin white line which is almost invisible. The most important thing is that you will resnetate a more alert and youthful appearance that will last for most patients.