Eyelid Surgery

More than any other facial feature, the eyes have a tremendous impact on your appearance and are the first to show the signs of aging. They tell people whether you are happy, sad, energetic, or tired. If you believe your eyes are making you look tired or older than you actually feel, eyelid surgery may be right for you. This procedure can smooth the contours above and below the eyelids to produce a more refreshed, rejuvenated, and brighter-looking version of yourself.

• Benefits of Eyelid Surgery
• Best Candidates for Eyelid Surgery
• Eyelid Surgery Consultation
• Eyelid Surgery Procedure
• Recovery from Eyelid Surgery
• Eyelid Surgery Results
• Eyelid Surgery Cost
• Eyelid Surgery Scars
• Eyelid Surgery Risks
• Non-Surgical Blepharoplasty
• Complementary Treatments

What is Blepharoplasty?

“Blepharoplasty” is the medical term for an eyelid lift procedure — a cosmetic surgery performed to improve the look of wrinkles, puffiness, bulging, and dark circles around the eyes. With aging, the delicate skin surrounding the eyelids can grow lax and droopy. The musculature may also start to weaken, and underlying fat may begin to protrude outward. These factors can cause you to look sleepy, fatigued, or unhappy even when you feel well-rested and energetic. Eyelid surgery can remove excess skin and reposition the underlying fat to achieve a more youthful eyelid contour. The procedure can also correct “hooding,” which occurs when sagging upper eyelids sit on the lash line or droop into your field of vision.

What are the Benefits of Eyelid Surgery?

Eyelid surgery can be performed on the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both depending upon the patient’s needs. With eyelid surgery, patients can improve the natural contour and definition of the eyelids while addressing cosmetic concerns such as:

• Skin laxity along the upper or lower eyelids
• Buildup of fat deposits around the eyes
• Puffiness around the eyes
• Bags or dark circles beneath the eyes
• Excessive lines or wrinkles on the eyelids

In some cases, the upper eyelids may sag to such a degree that the patient’s field of vision becomes impaired. For these individuals, plastic surgeon James Matas, MD can perform eyelid surgery to restore full range of vision.

Best Candidates for Eyelid Surgery

Typically, candidates for eyelid surgery include men and women in their 30’s to 60’s who are bothered by loose skin along their upper or lower eyelids, puffy lower eyelids, and/or the presence of dark circles. Candidates may also have obstructed vision caused by drooping or sagging upper eyelids. For a certain segment of individuals, cosmetic eyelid issues are not related to aging—some younger candidates may have inherited these genetic characteristics.

Ideal candidates for eyelid lift surgery must be in good overall health, avoid smoking for several weeks prior to and after surgery, and have realistic expectations regarding their results. The best way to determine if you are a candidate for eyelid surgery is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Matas. Candidates for eyelid surgery may also consider treatment with BOTOX^® Cosmetic injections to address frown lines and crow’s feet that eyelid surgery can not correct.

What to Expect at Your Consultation

Dr. James Matas, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Orlando, Florida, has extensive experience performing facial plastic surgery. At your initial consultation, he will discuss your goals and motivations for surgery, along with assessing your physical and emotional health and reviewing information you provide about previous surgeries, past and current medical conditions, as well as nutritional supplements, herbal remedies and pharmaceutical medications you take.

He will examine your eyes, assess the quality of your skin, and may have you make some facial expressions to determine the cause of the problem. He may also review photographs of you at an earlier age to see how the aging process has affected you.

He will recommend the exact procedure, or procedures, needed to bring about the desired result, outlining the techniques and incisions needed, the type of anesthesia, where the surgery will be performed and the risks and possibility of complications. He may also recommend non-surgical injectable treatments to enhance the surgical outcome.

He will advise you to avoid taking aspirin, ibuprofen products, Vitamin E and certain herbal medications before surgery, as these can cause increased bleeding or have undesirable effects with anesthesia.

Once a surgical plan has been decided, you will also be provided with the financial details, along with a suggested plan of action should you decide to take the next step toward eyelid surgery.

How is Eyelid Surgery Performed?

Surgery can be performed separately on the upper eyelids or lower eyelids — or both the upper and lower lids can be done together.

Upper Eyelid Lift Surgery

With upper eyelid blepharoplasty, an incision is made to the inside corner of the upper lid and is then extended across the lid along the natural fold, or crease. From this incision, excess skin and fat is carefully removed. This incision line is hidden by the fold, and it will not be visible. For patients with impaired vision caused by eyelid laxity, Dr. Matas will ensure that the full range of vision is restored.

Lower Eyelid Lift Surgery

With lower eyelid blepharoplasty, an incision is made just below the lower lashes. Through this incision, excess skin and fat are removed. Excess fat can also be repositioned to restore lost volume at the tear troughs. At times, when the muscle is causing too much thickness, a section of the muscle is removed. In some patients, the underlying muscle is also tightened. When the lower eyelids only need fat removed, a transconjunctival blepharoplasty is performed. In this procedure, the incision is placed inside the lower eyelid so there is no external incision.

Surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia and takes approximately 1-2 hours. If additional procedures are performed at the same time, surgery will take longer.

What Can I Expect From the Eyelid Surgery Recovery Period?

BeforeAfter

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You’ll be back to work and most of your normal activities within one week. If necessary, special camouflage makeup can be applied to cover any bruising that remains. You won’t be able to wear contact lenses for several weeks, but glasses may be worn instead.

I am so glad that my second opinion consultation brought me to Dr. Matas for eyelid and forehead lift surgery. As soon as I spoke to you I knew you were very skilled and I knew I wanted you to be my doctor. Your office is very sweet and kind and smart! Every time I look in the mirror and smile, I think of you. I will never forget you!
A.N.

What are the Results of Eyelid Surgery?

Dr. Matas uses techniques during eyelid surgery that are designed to create a naturally refreshed appearance, rather than an “overdone” look. After the healing process is complete, you can enjoy smoother, more lifted contours around the eyes. Patients typically appear more youthful, well-rested, and energetic after eyelid surgery. If you are considering eyelid surgery and want to see examples of Dr. Matas’s work, please review our photo gallery to view eyelid surgery before and after photos of our patients. During the consultation process, Dr. Matas will thoroughly discuss your cosmetic concerns and design a custom surgical plan aimed at achieving your desired results.

How Much Does Eyelid Surgery Cost?

Dr. Matas customizes each eyelid surgery to address the unique needs and goals of the individual. Consequently, the price of eyelid surgery varies based on the details of the surgical plan. One major factor that determines cost is the scope of the procedure — whether the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both sets of eyelids are being operated upon. The overall complexity of the procedure and additional costs, such as the anesthesiologist’s fee, can also impact pricing. The total cost for your customized eyelid surgery will be provided at the end of your initial consultation. Qualified patients can take advantage of plastic surgery financing options offered through CareCredit^®. CareCredit^® provides low monthly payment plans and low-interest loans that can make any elective procedure more affordable.

Will I Have Visible Eyelid Surgery Scars?

The incisions used for eyelid surgery are placed discreetly to conceal any scarring. During upper eyelid surgery, the incision is placed within the natural crease of the eyelid — which keeps it hidden. Depending upon the needs of the patient, the incision used for lower eyelid surgery can be placed just below the lash-line or along the inside of the lower eyelid. In most cases, these incisions are barely visible or completely camouflaged once the healing process is complete.

Are There Any Risks Associated With Eyelid Surgery?

As with any surgery, some risks are involved. Asymmetry and overcorrection are the most common cosmetic risks that patients may face with an inexperienced plastic surgeon. To deliver the highest quality results, Dr. Matas uses his expertise to carefully plan each procedure and follow every safety precaution — which minimizes the chance of undesirable results. During the initial consultation, Dr. Matas will thoroughly discuss all risks associated with eyelid surgery.

Is an Eyelid Lift Without Surgery Possible?

Unfortunately, there are no non-surgical alternatives to blepharoplasty that can provide the same quality of results as a surgical procedure. An eyelid lift refreshes the eye area by trimming excess skin and repositioning/removing protruding fat causing a baggy look — these are objectives that cannot be completed without surgery. If your goals include smoothing and brightening your eyelids, blepharoplasty is considered the most effective and long-lasting method of treatment.

However, if you simply want to reduce signs of aging and tiredness in the upper face, there are certain skin treatments that may be able to provide rejuvenation without surgery. Frown lines, “crow’s feet,” and sunken under-eye hollows can also age your appearance — these concerns are often corrected with in-office treatments like BOTOX^® Cosmetic and JUVÉDERM^® facial fillers. Dr. Matas will help you to develop an optimal treatment plan based on your needs, preferences, and what you hope to accomplish.

Combining Eyelid Surgery with Other Facial Procedures

The results of blepharoplasty can be powerful, but the procedure has its limitations. Eyelid surgery is only designed to address the upper-third of the face and cannot treat signs of aging in the brow, mid-face, or neck region. For this reason, many patients decide to combine their eyelid surgery with other procedures to attain a more comprehensive outcome. Brow lift surgery is a common complement to blepharoplasty, as the eyes and forehead often age together. A facelift or neck lift can also be performed at the same time as eyelid surgery to adjunctively smooth jowls and sagging skin in the lower face. Depending on your treatment goals, combining blepharoplasty with other facial plastic surgeries can offer more extensive rejuvenation than an eyelid lift performed as a stand-alone procedure.

Your New Look

Your friends, family, and coworkers won’t even know you had eyelid surgery unless you tell them – although many will probably remark that you look alert and refreshed. But you’ll know each time you look in the mirror… because there will now be a much younger person looking back at you!

For more information about eyelid surgery, we encourage you to contact the Advanced Centre for Plastic Surgery for a consultation with Dr. Matas. During your appointment you can ask Dr. Matas any questions you may have, and find out if the eyelid lift procedure is right for you.