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AM I A CANDIDATE FOR BLEPHAROPLASTY?
Blepharoplasty may enhance appearance, widen the
field of vision, and in some cases even resolve
'eye strain' in those individuals using forehead
muscles to help elevate their upper eyelids. Patients
of Asian ancestry may choose to have an upper
eyelid crease similar to Occidentals.
The best candidates for blepharoplasty are patients
who are realistic in their expectations. Individuals
with certain medical conditions may have increased
risk with blepharoplasty. Be sure to discuss any
medical or ocular conditions with Dr Martin during
your pre-operative consultation. Dr Martin will
examine your eyes and eyelids to exclude any problems
that could affect a good functional result. He
will also demonstrate what to expect from eyelid
surgery. Factors to be considered include age,
skin type, ethnic background and degree of vision
obstruction. The function of the upper eyelid
muscle will be assessed and if the upper lid margin
is lower than normal, surgery to tighten that
muscle may also be necessary. This would be repaired
at the time of the blepharoplasty surgery.
HOW IS THE PROCEDURE PERFORMED?
Dr Martin will perform the blepharoplasty procedure
in his day surgery (Harley Place Day Surgery).
It is usually performed under local anaesthesia
with a mild sedation administered by the anaesthetist.
All four eyelids may be operated on or just the
upper or lower ones. Dr Martin will advise you
of this at your pre-operative consultation, in
order to determine your optimum cosmetic result.
In upper eyelid surgery, Dr Martin makes an incision
in the natural skin folds of the eyelids making
the incision virtually unnoticeable when healed.
Excess fat, muscle and loose skin are removed
using CO2 Laser. The incisions are then closed
with fine sutures, which are often removed in
about a week.
There are several advantages of using CO2 Laser
compared to traditional scalpel surgery. With
CO2 Laser there is minimal swelling and bruising
with a quicker recovery period, less post-operative
pain and safer and more precise results are achieved.
In lower eyelid surgery, Dr Martin makes an incision
inside the lower eyelid. Excess fat is removed
using CO2 Laser and this prevents any visible
scar. The lower eyelid skin usually requires to
be tightened using the CO2 Laser.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT AFTER SURGERY?
The procedure can take up to 1-2 hours and you
are able to go home shortly afterwards. Some swelling
and bruising can be expected. You should plan
to apply cold packs to your operated eyelids for
the first 48 hours after surgery to help control
swelling. The swelling usually subsides within
the first few days. The bruising sometimes takes
2-3 weeks to subside. Your eyes may feel tight
and sore, especially the first week after surgery
and oral pain medications may be required for
the first few days. You may have some watering
of the eyes and occasionally blurry vision may
be experienced, but this resolves once the swelling
subsides. You should also avoid bending over for
the first few days following surgery. In most
cases, you may begin to wear makeup again (on
the eyelids) about 10 days after the surgery.
You are usually able to take up social activities
within 7-10 days and return to work after 2 weeks.
After the first couple of weeks, you will begin
to see the aesthetic results of your surgery.
However, you won't have your best results for
up to 6 months following surgery. During this
period, the incision lines will fade.
After blepharoplasty the surgical results are
often dramatic and are likely to restore a more
youthful appearance to your face. In most cases,
the results last for many years or even a lifetime.
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