Blepharoplasty
(Eyelid Lift)

Upper Eyelid Lift

The upper eyelid changes with age. The skin becomes thinner and more wrinkled. Fat protrudes from the nasal edge of the orbit and from above. Before we begin with an aesthetic correction, we have to make sure that we are not seeing a functional defect of the eyelid. If this exists, it must be corrected first. A cosmetic improvement alone can make the problem worse. When dealing with the upper eyelid alone, the correction is usually removal of some skin, some muscle, and reduction of the excess fat.

Lower Eyelid Lift

The lower eyelid is more complicated. Age often reduces the tone of the eyelid margin. Functional problems such as persistent dryness and lower eyelid positional defects can require specialized techniques to reposition the pertinent anatomy from a functional perspective.

The aesthetic problems are wrinkles and fat position issues. Wrinkles may be improved by skin removal alone. Often these wrinkles need correction of muscle looseness and skin removal. Sometimes, lasers help in improving the skin. The most interesting new development in the correction of the lower eyelid is fat repositioning. Rather than remove all of the fat from the lower eyelid, fat can be trimmed and hollows can be filled with some of the fat. Sometimes, fat can be taken from other areas and grafted into this area. Some injectable fillers can also be used.

Patient safety is a prime consideration. Bleeding can ruin an excellent surgical result and can even lead to blindness. Patient selection and preparation cannot be overstated. The operation can be performed entirely with local anesthesia, though sedation makes it much more tolerable. If needed, a light general anesthetic can be utilized.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that 204,000 blepharoplasty procedures were performed in 2012. Blepharoplasty (eyelid lift) and brow lifts are often performed with other facial procedures. They can be performed alone or together. A lower eyelid correction makes excellent sense with a facelift as the tissue contours blend together better.

Success in eyelid surgery is based on careful examination, very careful technique and intelligent linking of procedures. With Dr. Geldner’s superior skill, 25 years of experience, and his experienced and compassionate staff, we exceed our patients’ expectations.