Eyelid surgery, often known as blepharoplasty, is a surgical treatment that removes extra skin, muscle, and fat from the upper and lower eyelids. In certain circumstances, only the skin needs to be removed, not the muscle, or the treatment must be performed on both the upper and lower eyelids.
Blepharoplasty can be done for cosmetic or functional reasons. People seek eyelid surgery to remove and tighten extra eyelid skin because of droopy eyelids (ptosis).
Blepharoplasty can occasionally improve eyesight once droopy eyelids are fixed by offering a less blocked field of view.
What Is Cosmetic Blepharoplasty?
Cosmetic eyelid surgery is a surgical operation performed merely to improve your appearance and is not medically necessary.
Unfortunately, the aging process can cause droopy eyelids. As a result of the same process, your brows may sag or droop.
The skin of the eyelids stretches, muscles weaken, and fat pockets swell, making them more visible. It is possible that you have a hereditary disease that runs in your family.
In terms of appearance, such disorders can subtract from the overall attractiveness of your eyes and face, giving you a fatigued or older look.
Ophthalmologists and oculoplastic surgeons most typically perform these operations. Cosmetic eyelid surgery is performed by general plastic surgeons, dental and maxillofacial surgeons, and ear, nose, and throat surgeons.
When Is It Necessary to Get Functional Blepharoplasty?
In contrast to aesthetic blepharoplasty, functional blepharoplasty is eyelid surgery performed for medicinal reasons.
A functional eyelift is usually performed to remove loose skin from the top eyelid if it droops low enough to compromise your vision while driving or performing other visual tasks.
Another functional issue is the inability to wear glasses or contact lenses because of droopy upper or lower eyelids.
Other medical issues that may necessitate functional eyelid surgery include the following:
- Excess folds of eyelid skin pressing together cause irritation.
- Overworked muscles in the forehead cause headaches by straining to lift sagging skin in the eyelid area.
Functional blepharoplasty is usually performed by ophthalmologists and oculoplastic surgeons, just like cosmetic blepharoplasty.
Eyelid Surgery and Ptosis
The medical name for drooping of the top eyelid — which can affect one or both eyes — is ptosis (TOE-sis). Congenital ptosis is ptosis that has been present since birth. The edge of the upper eyelid (eyelid margin) falls from its natural position, resulting in droopy eyelids.
The upper half of your eyesight can be blocked if the edge of your eyelid dips too low and covers part of the pupil. Most of the time, a drooping upper eyelid is caused by the aging of previously healthy components.
Because manipulation of the eyelid during a procedure might cause weakening of the muscle that maintains the eye open, it is not uncommon for a person to have a droopy upper eyelid following cataract surgery or other eye surgeries. A stroke or trauma can also cause ptosis.
Ophthalmologists and oculoplastic surgeons are the most common surgeons that do ptosis surgery.
Who Are the Best Blepharoplasty Candidates?
If you are not sure if you are a good candidate for blepharoplasty, make an appointment with your eye doctor to check for any medical issues with your eyelids.
If you do not have a medical cause for blepharoplasty, you can address your eye doctor’s concerns or interests in cosmetic eyelid surgery.
If you have excessive drooping and sagging of skin around your eyes, which is common with aging, you may want to explore blepharoplasty. Sagging skin might be accentuated when you have other diseases like puffy eyes caused by allergies or edema.
If you are considering blepharoplasty only for cosmetic reasons, your doctor will probably urge you to keep your expectations in check. Cosmetic treatments can sometimes improve appearance substantially, but they are not the Fountain of Youth.
The aging process will continue, and your better appearance as a result of an eye lift will not remain permanently, just like any other cosmetic operation. You might wish to consider repeating the procedure at some point in the future.
On the other hand, a blepharoplasty can last up to ten years, depending on your health and other variables.
Dry eye problems, thyroid eye disease, and diabetes are all possible surgical risk factors that your eye specialist will assess. Keep in mind that the degree and number of any health issues you have may preclude you from becoming a blepharoplasty candidate.
Because smokers heal more slowly, they have a higher risk of surgical complications. If you smoke, your surgeon may advise you to stop smoking for at least a few weeks before undergoing surgery.
Because of the particular shape of Asian people’s eyelids, eyelid surgery is more challenging for them. As a result, Asians may be more likely than other ethnic groups to have less-than-ideal outcomes.
Cosmetic eyelid surgery may be able to correct the look of a “missing upper eyelid crease” that is common in Asian faces. To some extent, this modification may “Westernize” the appearance of an Asian eyelid.
How Much Does Blepharoplasty Usually Cost?
An eyelift can cost anything from $2,000 for a minor procedure (such as treating both upper eyelids without removing fat) to $5,000 for a more sophisticated procedure (such as eliminating fat from both upper eyelids).
These are simply rough estimations of surgeon fees. An ambulatory surgery center or in-office operating suite might cost anything from $800 to $2,000 per treatment.
The cost of blepharoplasty varies based on where you live in the country, the surgeon, his or her specialism, the facility where the operation is conducted, and the extent of eyelid surgery required.
If you have a functional blepharoplasty, Medicare or private health insurance will most likely cover a portion of the expense. Before you may proceed with the procedure, your insurance company may require prior authorization. Medical insurance companies, on the other hand, rarely cover cosmetic eyelid surgery.
