EYES

Upper Eyelid Surgery

Upper eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) is one of the most common facial plastic surgical procedures performed. The eyes serve a crucial part in portraying one’s emotions. Hooding from excess upper eyelid skin yields a tired appearance to the eyes which gives the appearance of an aged look. The eyelids, both upper and lower, consist of 3 major layers – skin, muscle, and fat. Dr. Liu will assess which or if all layers need to be addressed during surgery. If you have a history of dry eyes, often an ophthalmologic evaluation should be performed before surgery. The procedure can be performed under intravenous sedation or general anesthesia. There is some expected bruising around the eyes for the first 1-2 weeks which can be concealed with make-up. All sutures are removed by day 6-7. You will be instructed to use eye drops and ointment after surgery for the first week until the swelling subsides to keep the eye moist.

The Asian eyelid deserves some special consideration. Many Asians lack the natural fold or crease. This is caused by the different location of insertion of underlying muscles to the eyelid skin. The surgery should not be performed in the typical manner of a Caucasian eyelid.

Lower Eyelid Surgery

Lower eyelid surgery can be performed by two approaches. The transconjunctival approach refers to using an incision on the inside of the eyelid – therefore, no sutures are visible or need to be removed. However, if excess skin exists, this cannot be addressed by this approach. The transcutaneous approach uses a concealed incision just under the lower eyelashes and is able to remove excess skin if necessary. Dr. Liu will decide which approach is best for you. It is very important to be conservative with removing skin around the eyelids. If too much is removed, you may have difficulty completely closing the eyes which could lead to dry eyes and possible eye infections.

The procedure can be performed under intravenous sedation or general anesthesia. There is some expected bruising around the eyes for the first 1-2 weeks which can be concealed with make-up. If there are any sutures, they are removed by day 6-7. You will be instructed to use eye drops after surgery for the first week until the swelling subsides.

Click here for additional information on this procedure from the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.