Am I a Candidate for Eyelid Surgery?​​​​​​​

Eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty is an invasive procedure that corrects droopy eyelids. The eyes are among the most noticeable features of your face. Your eyelids can droop because of age. This means that your face looks different from your younger years.

This condition degrades your vision and may send misleading information to someone talking to you face-to-face. Blepharoplasty helps remedy this condition. The surgical procedure corrects flabby lower and upper eyelids as well as bags under your eyes. It is ideal for both functional and cosmetic improvements.

Functional Improvements

When the eyelids droop, they impair your vision because they cover more of your eyes than before. The visual impairment affects your peripheral vision. This unnatural covering of part of the eye means that you see less of your surroundings. Drooping of the lower eyelids has different effects. The gravitational pull on them exposes more of your sclera to the elements, causing dryness in your eyes.

Aesthetic Improvements

Blepharoplasty in this category is purely for cosmetic purposes. Sagging of the lower or upper eyelids has a significant impact on your physical appearance. For someone conscious about their appearance, this is a problem. Bags under the eyes and sagging eyelids may make you seem worn out or less interesting. To avoid this look, you may opt for cosmetic eyelid surgery.

Are You an Ideal Candidate for Blepharoplasty?

As a start, you must have sagging or drooping skin around your eyelids. The surgery is also good for persons with excess fat deposits about the upper eyelid. To qualify for the surgery, you must avoid some bad lifestyle habits like smoking tobacco.

As with many other invasive cosmetic procedures, you must be in good health before going under the knife. Any underlying chronic disease may affect your recovery after undergoing the procedure. Most surgeons prefer patients who are above 35 years old. But if your condition is genetic, you can undergo the procedure earlier.

Why You May Not Be an Ideal Candidate

Though blepharoplasty may be safe for most men and women, it is not ideal for everyone. If you have dark circles under your eyes for any other reason other than eyelids, you cannot have the procedure. Wrinkles and crow’s feet are other disqualifying factors.

You may also not be eligible if you are suffering from some eye ailments like dry eye and if your eyebrows are drooping or uneven. Some lifestyle choices like smoking tobacco may disqualify you for the surgery.

Most doctors recommend that persons in this category should opt for other aesthetic procedures. There are many surgical and non-surgical procedures available.

Length of Procedure and Recovery

The length of the procedure is different for everyone. This is because the extent of the wrinkles and sagging eyelids is unique to each person. A typical blepharoplasty procedure can last up to 45 minutes. However, it may take up to two hours depending on whether you are combining blepharoplasty with another procedure.

Recovery from the procedure includes a short period of blurry vision. You may need to rest for a week as you recover. Most people can resume their daily routines in about two weeks.

For more on eyelid surgery, visit Jason K. Potter, MD, DDS, at our office in Dallas, Texas. You can also call 214-892-2474 today to book an appointment.