Most people want to have nice, youthful-looking skin, and aging can pose a challenge to this task. Gravity pulls on it constantly, causing sagging, and stress can cause the skin to wrinkle.
Your body also produces fewer and fewer essential proteins for skin elasticity as you get older, which certainly doesn’t help. These changes can be especially noticeable around the eyes.
Droopy eyes may make you appear angry or sad at all times, and bags under the eyes make you look exhausted, even if you are not. Keep reading to learn more about the purpose of having eyelid surgery!
What is Blepharoplasty?
A blepharoplasty is a cosmetic surgery to repair droopy eyelids by removing the sagging skin above the eyes. It is an outpatient procedure, so you can expect to be home the same day as your surgery.
It takes about an hour to complete. Your eye surgeon will first numb the area.
They make strategic incisions on your eyelids to get to the excess tissue inside. Typically, eye surgeons perform the blepharoplasty procedure on the upper eyelids first.
During upper eyelid blepharoplasty, your eye surgeon will make the incision in the eyelid’s crease. This location hides the scar tissue that may form after recovery.
In order to hide the lower lid scar, the eye surgeon will commonly make the incision either along the natural crease or inside the lid itself. During upper and lower eyelid blepharoplasty procedures, eyelids, fat, skin, and muscle tissue are either removed or repositioned.
The eye doctor uses small sutures to close the incisions, and it only takes about two weeks before they are ready to be removed. Bruising and swelling may last about the same length of time after the procedure.
Are There Other Reasons to Get Eyelid Surgery?
Plenty of people want eyelid surgery in order to look younger, but some people need it to improve the function of their eyelids. In some cases, the skin above the eye can sag so heavily that vision is affected.
It can have a very big impact on day-to-day life in severe cases. Ptosis is a separate condition caused by weak muscles in the eyelids.
The eyelids can droop very low, appearing to be only half-open. Sometimes, the eyelid droops so low that it blocks the pupil, interfering with vision.
Eye surgeons can draw the skin tight and lift the eyelid by removing excess fat and skin and lifting or repositioning the muscle. It’s a great way to reclaim a youthful look and restore vision impaired by a low-lying eyelid!
Is Ptosis Repair Different from Blepharoplasty?
If you have ptosis, the surgery will be slightly different than a blepharoplasty. Your eye surgeon may still remove fat and skin tissue, but the real goal is to tighten and reattach the muscles controlling the eyes.
It’s important to know if your surgery is medically necessary or considered cosmetic. Insurance can often cover either ptosis repair or blepharoplasty under the right circumstances.
To determine if your insurance will cover a blepharoplasty or ptosis repair, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor for a consultation.
Do you want to learn more about how eyelid surgery may be able to improve your look or quality of life? Schedule an appointment at Frantz EyeCare in Fort Myers, FL, today!
