Laser eyelid rejuvenation
Blepharoplasty or the treatment of “bags” of the upper & lower eyelids
The Stories Eyes Can Tell
Eyelid bags, crow’s feet and reading glasses, courtesy of Father Time! These overhanging lid tissues and heavy orbital lines can transform sparkling, youthful eyes into tired, dull, hooded ones. Their onset can be hastened by heredity, smoking and excessive sun exposure.
External treatments offer temporary relief, at best.
Tea bags, cucumber slices and ice packs are popular home remedies. Specially formulated creams and lotions are their commercial counter-parts. While skillfully applied cosmetics can cover lines and blend wrinkles, those heavy upper hoods, deep crow’s feet and fully packed lower lid bags present substantial challenges.
A quick glance at the family album may suggest where we are heading.
What can be done? For starters, our grandparents were right! Bonnets and wide-brimmed hats protected them not only from sun-provoked skin cancers, but from the sun-induced changes of aging as well. If fashion consciousness rules out broad-brimmed sun shielding, then sun screens are a must! Although heredity is beyond our control, a quick glance at the family album may suggest where we are heading and whether surgery is an option.
EYELID REJUVENATION
Blepharoplasty
Before & After Surgery
Laser eye-&-lid surgery offers three new options:Eyelid rejuvenation can make the eyes appear brighter and more alert.
- removal of excess tissue by excision
- smoothing of skin lines and wrinkles by Botox and resurfacing
- hyperopic eye treatment
Laser excision surgery is usually performed using a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser as a scalpel. High-energy, precisely focused laser light is delivered in a fine beam which cuts delicate eyelid tissue by vaporization. During vaporization, heat is produced which seals the small blood vessels and nerves next to the surgical wound. Because laser incisions are virtually bloodless, there is usually no post operative “black eye.” Swelling is minimized too because lymphatic vessels are sealed. Pain is usually minimal because the procedure seals the nerves. An incision in the upper lid is placed along the lid crease to hide the small scar. Laser surgery to remove “bags” from the lower lids is done from inside the lower lid, leaving no visible scar at all. The bags are actually excess orbital fat that has pushed forward. The bulges typically cast unflattering shadows, producing a tired, sad expression. In extreme cases, the lower lids may be so full that they obscure vision during reading. After surgery on both upper and lower eyelids, most patients feel more comfortable wearing glasses in public for three to seven days. Normal activities can be resumed in just three to five days; a long weekend is normally adequate time for recuperation. Resurfacing to soften lines and wrinkles is not performed with the CO2 laser, but with specific dedicated lasers such as Erbium lasers and hyperopia with the Excimer laser.
Pain is usually minimal.
Panado or Propain is usually sufficient to relieve any pain after the procedure.
Complementary Procedures.
Laser skin resurfacing (with the Erbium laser) and this eyelid rejuvenation (with the CO2 laser) complement one another and together they provide a pleasing total improvement for most patients.
Other procedures such as Botox injections can also improve the frown lines and crow’s feet around your eyes. Even if you don’t use it for anything else, it is worth using botox to get rid of the unfriendly frown lines.
Combine these procedures with refractive surgery (Lasik or PRK with the excimer laser for myopia or hyperopia) and you can look forward to a whole new lifestyle.
