Eyelid Surgery: Looking and Seeing Better

As you get older your eyelids can start to sag. Not only will they make you look older, but also they may feel very heavy. If you are experiencing droopy lids, you may be wondering if a blepharoplasty surgery, also known as eyelid surgery, is right for you.

Several changes occur in our eyelids as we age. The thin skin of our eyelids starts to lose its elasticity and begins to stretch by the late 30s or early 40s, resulting in excess folds of skin that may hang down over the edge of the upper eyelids. In most patients, this skin is the “first to go.” You may feel an extra heaviness in the upper lid or feel the skin sitting on your lashes.

And as we age, the muscles beneath our skin also grow weaker, allowing fat to protrude through and cause bags, particularly in the lower eyelids. The levator muscle, which lifts the upper eyelids, can become weak, causing the upper eyelid to droop.

Furthermore, fine wrinkle lines and creases appear in the delicate skin around the lids. The result is a tired, sleepy or sad look. These changes can affect the natural beauty of the eye area.

Eyelid surgery corrects drooping upper eyelids and puffy bags below the eyes by removing excess fat, skin and muscle. It is very helpful for patients who want to restore a youthful appearance with minimal cost, risk and recovery time. In fact, many patients choose eyelid surgery over a complete facelift.

Dr. Moraitis will conduct a physical examination to determine what is causing your droopy eyelids. If it’s downward displacement of the brow, then the correction is to elevate the position of the brow with or without surgery of the upper lid. It is important that patients do not assume that all eyelid droops can be corrected by eyelid surgery.

Eyelid surgery is a relatively low-cost procedure with shorter recovery times. Under normal conditions, you should be able to return to daily activities within seven to ten days. Right after the surgery you may experience swelling, bruising, irritation or dry eyes and discomfort, this symptoms cane be controlled with medication, cold compresses and ointment.

A consultation with Dr. Moraitis in his Palm Harbor office will help determine whether eyelid surgery is for you.