Highlighting your eye lights

OP. DR. YUNUS DOĞAN

All about blepharoplasty Finish this phrase: “Jeepers creepers, where’d you get those ______?”

Not many words rhyme with “creepers” so hopefully you at least stumbled upon the correct word, “peepers.” THAT is the question of the day. Where’d you get those peepers? Your eyes say a lot about you. They tell the world if you’re angry, tired, Irish (pardon any redundancy there) or unfortunately, aging.

Some of us start to accumulate a little extra fat or skin on our upper eyelids as the years pass. There are also people whose eyelids sag so much that their conjunctiva - the red, inner part of the eyelid - is exposed and dries out. And some of us have an ethnic predisposition that we want to reposition.

For all these maladies and more, we have a plastic surgery solution: an eye lift or blepharoplasty. With just a few tiny incisions or sutures, a plastic surgeon can erase years, eliminate skin and improve your perception of yourself. Reconstructively speaking, blepharoplasty can correct limited vision if the patient’s droopy skin physically hangs over the eye.

This article is the eighth in a series highlighting some of the most popular plastic surgery procedures. In the Highlighting series, we tell you ALL the alternative names of the surgery so you learn the medical terminology as well as develop a little street cred with slang terms. We share a little history of the procedure and describe the general process. We mention possible complications and give you an idea of the typical recovery time.

Also known as/similar or related names are:

Bilateral blepharoplasty/combined blepharoplasty, double eyelid surgery, eye lift, eyelid surgery, full-incisional technique, lower blepharoplasty/lower eyelid surgery, oculoplastic surgery, suture technique, transconjunctival eyelid surgery, upper blepharoplasty/upper eyelid surgery.

First recorded blepharoplasty

You need to know Sanskrit to read this history lesson. Indian doctor Sushruta described surgical tools used for eye procedures as far back as the sixth century BC. His concerns were more reconstructive than cosmetic.

The first documented case of excessive skin on the eyelids came from Austria’s pioneering ophthalmologist Georg Joseph Beer in 1792. Polish-born German surgeon Karl Ferdinand von Grafe named the procedure blepharoplasty using two Greek words: “blepharon” (eyelids) and “plastikos” (to mold.)

Surgeons were documented performing delicate eyelid operations in 1818, repairing damage done by cancerous tumors. Then the World Wars’ multiple eye injuries helped and/or forced the medical community to advance and improve techniques, both for reconstructive and aesthetic purposes.

General process

After reading our advice and squinting your way through copious amounts of research to find the best surgeon, you will have your consultation. Your surgeon will examine your eyes and face and you’ll discuss your expectations and probable outcomes. Your surgeon may measure and photograph your eyes and eyelids. You might need to take a vision test.

You will take general or intravenous anesthesia, then your surgeon will make small incisions in your eyelids; these incisions will result in scars hidden well in the crease of your upper eyelid and just below the line of your lower eyelashes. With these incisions, excess skin, fat and tissue may be removed.

Fat may also be redistributed to other parts of your face depending on your surgical plan. Your surgeon could also perform a transconjunctival incision inside your lower eyelid and remove excess tissue or fat. However, no skin is removed with this technique. Your incisions will most likely be closed with sutures or skin glue.

What could go wrong?

Complications that may occur include:

• Bruising - the area around your eyes is very delicate. Even the gentlest surgeon will leave some bruises behind.
• Dry or itchy eyes - your doctor will most likely give you medication or medicated eye drops to help with this.
• Retraction - when one or both eyelids fail to cover the eyeball, they are retracted. In an open resting state, the eyelids are open too wide, resulting in an inability to close the eyes completely. This complication usually resolves itself but sometimes corrective surgery is necessary.

What could go right?

Peep these positive payoffs:

• A refreshed and renewed appearance that restores a younger, possibly more attractive appearance. (As if you can get any MORE attractive, wink wink. We see you.)
• A physically wider field of vision so you can see everyone staring at your new vibrant glow.
• A better fit of your eyewear. You might even want to get a new pair of readers to show off those sparkling eyes now. Definitely get a new pair of sunglasses to shield those fragile beauties for the first year.

Recovery time

Most patients go home the same day as their surgery. You will need someone to drive you home. (If your caregiver needs to know the best way to help you at home, let him or her read this.) Your recovery will include ice packs, elevating your head and resting your eyes.

Rest is very important following blepharoplasty, at least for a few days immediately after your procedure. Your doctor will provide specific instructions on what you can and shouldn’t do as you heal. We also have some information to help you rapidly recover from plastic surgery.

The last stitch

With so many patients traveling abroad for plastic surgery, it’s fitting that the history of eye lifts spans the globe. We are from different countries and cultures but we share the common goal of looking and feeling our best. Blepharoplasties can help us look good and see well at the same time.