Common Oculoplastics Conditions and Surgical Treatments
There are various oculoplastic conditions, some of which can be treated in an office setting and others in an operating room. Typical eyelid surgery that can be addressed in an office setting consists of dealing with eyelid lesions such as chalazion, skin tags and other benign and malignant growths. For those patients who have chronic tearing, problems with the lacrimal system (the duct system transmitting tears from the surface of the eye to the nasal cavity), this condition should be examined by an Oculoplastics specialist.
Conditions that need to be treated in an operating room include excess skin of the upper eyelids or ptosis. Patients with these conditions would benefit from surgical procedures enabling them to have improved peripheral vision from an upper eyelid blepharoplasty or ptosis repair. Patients who have an eyelid malposition may need an entropion (eyelid turned with lashes rubbing against the eye) or ectropion (eyelid turned out) repair. There are also cosmetic eyelid blepharoplasties for patients who have sagging eyelid skin and lower eyelid bags. A brow ptosis repair is performed on patients where the cause of the droopy eyelids is attributed to the eyebrows drooping.
Puffy Upper Eyelids and Excess Skin on Upper Eyelids
Some patients complain their eyelids are heavy and they must lift them to see better or their eyes tire. In addition, some complain of headaches resulting from raising their eyebrows, enabling them to lift their eyelids to see better. Others are concerned because they do not like the appearance of their eyelids. A blepharoplasty can be performed to address this concern which takes about 30-60 minutes with the patient returning home after surgery. Post-op care includes icing the eyelids for the first 48-72 hours and using antibiotic ointment on the sutures. Most patients can return to work 7-14 days after surgery. This time allows for the bruising and swelling to diminish and for the wound to heal. Healing takes about a month but for some, swelling can last for up to 6 months.
Under-Eye Bags
Under-eyebags are due to the eyelid tissue collagen losing its elasticity which causes fat to protrude behind the eyelid skin. The skin can become loose and cause sagging. A lower eyelid blepharoplasty can correct this condition.
Ptosis
Ptosis is when the upper eyelid(s) become droopy. It can be acquired during the aging process or due to something weighing down the eyelid such as skin or a tumor. It can also be congenital when the eyelid does not develop properly. The most concerning cause of ptosis is attributable to neurologic conditions that cause disruption to the nerves supplying the upper eyelid. This can be due to a stroke, aneurysm, or myasthenia gravis.
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