How Upper Eyelid Surgery Can Restore Obscured Vision
Loose skin and fat are common and expected results of aging, which unfortunately tend to be most visible in the face. From the neck to the cheeks and around the eyes, most people can expect pockets of tissue to droop over time. While these changes are primarily cosmetic, there is a chance that excess skin and fat can hang from the upper eyelids, resulting in partially obscured vision. Thankfully for such patients, eyelid surgery can improve the upper eyelids in both aesthetics and practicality. As just one of the many facial plastic surgery treatments offered at our office in Orange County, eyelid surgery can provide lasting benefits to the right candidate.
Obscured Vision from Upper Eyelid Hooding
As skin loses its elasticity with age, so too may the skin in one’s lower or upper eyelids. This manifests as “hooding” in the upper eyelid, wherein the skin hangs down over the eyelashes and sometimes even part of the eye itself. This often creates a perpetually sad or haggard appearance as it creates downward contours along the upper eye. Moreover, hooding can get in the way of one’s full range of vision. With blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, this can be corrected with significant, long-lasting results.
Candidates for Upper Eyelid Surgery
Patients who wish to fix their vision due to hooding, or who simply want better defined eyelids, can usually benefit from blepharoplasty treatment. Like other plastic surgery procedures, candidates should be in relatively good health with few risk factors for surgery. More specific to eye surgery, good candidates are those who are free of any eye conditions such as glaucoma, and do not have excessively dry eyes. Similarly, if you have a systemic disease, a history of bleeding complications, or suffer from a condition that may compromise your immune system, speak with your plastic surgeon about the possible risks of treatment.
How Is Upper Eyelid Surgery Performed?
The process to restoring your vision is relatively simple, easy, and safe. The entire surgery tends to take between 1.5 and 2.5 hours, and is performed as an outpatient procedure. Once your doctor has determined that you are a good candidate for surgery, the following steps can be expected:
- Local anesthesia will be administered to the area to prevent discomfort, often along with sedation to keep patients relaxed.
- An incision will be made along the natural crease of the upper eyelid, which will later help conceal the scar.
- From the incision, excess fat and skin will be removed. The remaining skin will be contoured and tightened to create a new shape for the eyelid.
- Small sutures will be used to close the incision.
Are the Effects Permanent?
It can be difficult to guess how long any plastic surgery procedure will last, especially when considering the effects of aging. All patients retain their results for varying lengths of time, which are further dependent on multiple variables such as lifestyle and health. For eyelid surgery, a general estimate is that results can last as long as 10 years. However, this does not mean that a patient’s vision will necessarily become obscured again. Rather, patients are cautioned that no cosmetic surgery can reverse the effects of aging forever. Meet with Dr. Cohen for a more detailed analysis of your hooding, so that you can know what to expect from upper eyelid surgery.
How Can Eyelid Surgery Help You?
With his extensive knowledge and training, Dr. Cohen offers a variety of facial plastic surgery techniques. By coming in for a consultation, you can learn exactly how each of our treatments can help you. Contact us for more information or to set up an initial appointment.