Upper & Lower Eyelid Lifts

Lower Eyelid Lift

Bulging lower eyelids are often called “eye bags” because they are shaped like the handbag that ladies carry. They are caused by the cushion of fat being squeezed out of the lower eye socket by the weight of the eyeball after many years. Some younger people have it, too, genetically. ‘

To fix the problem a small sliver of skin under the eyelashes is removed. This allows the fat that is squeezed out to then be seen and removed. The lower eyelid wound is then closed tightly and the bag is no longer troubling. 

For the eyelids without loose skin the bulging fat can be removed from inside the eyelid, “transconjunctivally”. There is no removal of skin and no scar on the outside of the eyelid. 

If  the eyelid has an indentation on the side towards the nose, which is called a “tear trough”, the excess fat instead of being thrown away can be placed under the skin in the position of the tear trough.

 

Upper and Lower Eyelid Lift

Upper and lower eyelids needing lifting at the same time is common among older individuals.  There are some whose upper eyelids are so drooping that their vision is compromised. Then there are others with lower eyelids that are so sagging that they are tired of people saying they look tired. 

Often patients are focused on the lower eyelids, but after the lower eyelids are lifted they see the upper eyelids as being worse than before surgery because of the bigger contrast with lower eyelids which are no longer sagging. So it is not wrong to do both upper and lower eyelid lifts at the same time. It is true that there will be more swelling and bruising the first two weeks after surgery but healing is as quick as for one set of eyelids as two and the patient need suffer through one episode rather than two of looking bad. 

Care is taken to not remove too much fat from the eyelids that will result in  sunken looking eyes. Also, no excessive skin removal at the lower eyelids should be done. It is better to not remove enough and need to remove more rather than to remove too much and have a pulled down looking eyelid.

Infection from this surgery is just about unheard of. 

Most people are very happy with this surgery which can last for 10 years or more.