Eyelid Reduction Surgery

If you have certain medical conditions such as Graves’ disease, eye conditions that cause dry eyes, diabetes and some eye conditions like glaucoma your doctor may advise you against having eyelid surgery.

Generally, the most ideal candidates are those who have realistic expectations about how they will look afterwards and who are psychologically healthy.

This procedure is usually done in an outpatient setting in our rooms at Géniale, and the surgeon injects numbering medication into the eyelids to relax the patient. You should be able to return home usually an hour after surgery. Common side effects include:

• Difficulty closing eyes
• Bleeding
• Scarring
• Skin discolouration
• Injury to the eye muscles
• The need for follow up surgery

• Ice packs on the eyes for 10 minutes every hour the night after surgery can reduce pain and swelling, and then the following day apply four or five times a day.
• It’s important to avoid swimming, heavy exercise or straining for 2 weeks
• Do not put contacts in for at least 14 days after surgery
• Wear sunglasses to protect the skin of the eyelids when outdoors
• Sleep with your head higher than your chest for a few days
• Do not smoke and avoid alcohol which causes fluid retention
• Avoid taking aspirin, herbal medications or other medications that may increase bleeding. Speak to your doctor.
• Panadol can be used to control pain.

No. This procedure will tighten the architecture of the skin around the eyes and face but does not correct wrinkles.

It also will not change the basic structure of your eyes or your appearance. Nor will the slope and symmetry of the eyes be altered.

However, if you would like to remove wrinkles at the same time, our doctors can personalise an anti-wrinkle program for your procedure which can be undertaken at the same time.

If your upper eyelid droops close to your pupil, you may also undergo a ptosis procedure to support the eyebrow muscle.

Some patients are as young as 30, while others are 65 years old. The overwhelming majority of patients seeking an eyelid lift are over 40, and most of this segment is over 55.

“However, part of our eyelid sag is genetic and patients with naturally “hooded” eyelids seek treatment in their 20s and 30s,” says Dr Shenouda.

“Tightening the eye area can restore the more almond-eyed look of youth and one study from the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery* shows that Blepharoplasty significantly improved quality of life in patients.”

Modern surgery procedures are very safe but there are always small risks and the possibility of complications do occur. Many of the risks are discussed during consultation and if some risks are high for a client, alternative treatments will be recommended.

Common risks

However, there are some common risks of lower and upper eyelid reduction surgery:

• Bruising, swelling, pain and discomfort will occur but are usually minor
• Removal of too much skin may expose the cornea to injury
• Asymmetry of the eyelids
• Scars are an inevitable part of any invasive surgery—noticeable scarring of the incisions is a risk
  Itchiness, watering or dryness of the eyes
• Drooping of the lower eyelid after surgery will recover but occasionally may require further surgery
• Temporary changes in vision—in rare cases, changes in vision may be long-lasting or permanent
• In extremely rare cases, eyelid reduction surgery can lead to blindness—smoking, pre-existing eye disease, straining, lifting and coughing can add to this risk

Anaesthesia

Eyelid reduction surgery is performed using general anaesthesia or local anaesthesia. While modern anaesthesia is very safe it does have some risks. Your surgeon or the anaesthetist will ask you about medications you have taken and your allergies.

Scarring

Géniale’s surgeons aim to minimise scarring and to keep your scars as inconspicuous as possible by locating the incisions in easily hidden sites. That way, scars will be along natural skin lines and creases. Scars may fade with time and become barely noticeable. If you are prone to scarring, you should advise your surgeon.

Revisional surgery

As with all surgical procedures, revisional surgery may be necessary to correct minor irregularities.