Some of the thinnest skin on your body is found on your eyelids. While that makes blinking easy and trouble-free, it also means your eyelids can suffer disproportionately from the aging process. Skin loses elasticity and dries out with age. Combined with gravity, that means sagging can become a problem, known medically as ptosis.
Sagging can simply create a tired look even when you’re rested, but sometimes it can interfere with your vision. No matter what issue you have with drooping eyelids, Alexis D. Furze, MD, FACS is ready to help. Dual certified as a facial plastic surgeon and otolaryngologist, Dr. Furze is an expert in facial anatomy with an eye toward aesthetics.
While aging is a common cause of ptosis, it can also be a congenital issue or a problem that results from an injury. Eye surgery can hasten the process by stretching the eyelids during surgery.
This excess skin may begin to droop. You may appear sleepy or not alert, regardless of how you feel. Fat may accumulate in the bottom eyelid, creating the dreaded bag look that can add to the aging of your appearance.
Sometimes, though, ptosis interferes with your eyesight, blocking peripheral vision to the sides and above. This can slow your reaction time to events occurring outside your reduced field of vision. In this case, ptosis is no longer simply an aesthetic issue, it’s a functional vision problem.
Blepharoplasty is more commonly known as eyelid surgery, but it’s not a single process. The procedure can be done on your upper or lower eyelid, or in some cases both. It has multiple approaches, including options to keep incisions well hidden.
When you have visual impairment due to drooping eyelids, your blepharoplasty will be performed on your upper eyelids. Excess tissue is strategically removed to correct the droopiness that blocks your sight. Each procedure is a custom surgery, based on the condition of your skin and the degree to which your eyelids droop.
Blepharoplasty for eyesight correction is often covered under insurance plans, while cosmetic applications generally are not.
Choosing Dr. Furze for your blepharoplasty means that your surgery will be done on an outpatient basis. There’s no overnight hospital stay needed. Though there is a high level of customization depending on your eyelid condition and surgery goals, the procedure itself is straightforward in the hands of an experienced practitioner like Dr. Furze.
Blepharoplasty is typically performed under sedation. External incisions are made along existing eyelid creases, so even if scars develop, they will be well hidden. You’ll be monitored briefly after your procedure to assure there are no complications and then you return home for your recovery. Because of the sedation and blurry vision which is normal immediately following blepharoplasty, you’ll need to arrange transportation before and after your surgery.
You can find out more about the benefits that blepharoplasty offers for obstructed vision by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Furze. You can call the appointment hotline at his Newport Beach office by phone at 949-205-7745. See what you’ve been missing and book a session today.
