UPPER EYELID SURGERY (Blepharoplasty)
What is blepharoplasty surgery?
Blepharoplasty (Greek, meaning eyelid repair) is surgery to remove excess skin of the eyelids.
As we age, our skin and the underlying tissues may lose their elasticity – their ability to bounce back after we stretch them. One of the ways we see this is in stretching of the delicate skin of the upper eyelids.
Isn’t it cosmetic surgery?
In the early stages, this stretching and wrinkling is only of cosmetic concern, and yes, the procedure is cosmetic surgery, with no Medicare rebates or private health fund cover.
If the process continues, the skin can stretch so much that it hangs down over the edge of the upper eyelid, interfering with vision and causing tension in the muscles of the forehead and head, as they strain to lift the stretched eyelid skin out of the line of the vision. Sometimes we then tip our head back to see more clearly, causing tension at the back of the neck and sometimes headaches.
The redundant skin is then interfering with function, causing problems with vision and muscle tension. Surgery can then provide considerable benefits and because the skin is interfering with function, this is a surgical procedure with Medicare and private health fund rebates, which just happens to help you look and feel better too!
What happens on the day of blepharoplasty surgery?
The operation is performed as a day case procedure in hospital, under 'twilight anaesthesia' which is local anaesthetic with sedation. We do it this way so that the whole of you can be taken care of by a team of people, while doctor focusses her full attention on you and your operation.
On the day of the operation, Anne will see you before the surgery to draw the lines on the skin where the incisions will be made. You are given some sedation to help you relax and then the eyelid skin is injected with local anaesthetic.
When the area is numb, the excess lid skin is cut away, the blood vessels are sealed off, and the skin edges are sewn together with tiny stitches. Antibiotic ointment is placed on the cuts and icepacks put on your closed eyelids for a few minutes to reduce swelling and bruising.
What happens after the operation?
After the operation, it is advisable to take at least a week, and preferably two, off work, particularly if your work is strenuous or dirty, or if you are in the public eye.
There is hardly any pain afterwards, but the lids may be swollen and bruised looking for the first week or two, and this swelling and bruising can spread down the face. We provide you with cool packs, which you are to use as much as possible during the first 48 hours, to help reduce this swelling and inflammation (it also feels good!).
Antibiotic ointment is used on the cuts three times a day for a week to prevent infection. Anne sees you one week after the surgery to remove the stitches and will then prescribe steroid cream to use on the cuts for a few weeks, to help prevent visible scarring.
She sees you a month later to make sure you are both happy with the end result.
Please Contact the Clinic if you would like to know more.