Eye Lift Surgery

It is a well known fact that the natural signs of aging often first manifest in the region of the eyes. Crows feet, fine lines, under eye circles, bags underneath the eyes, swollen and dropping eyelids and dropping brows are unsightly; causing one to quickly lose their youthful appearance. Thankfully, an eye lift, or eye lift surgery, can remedy such a situation. An eye lift, also known as a blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure performed by a qualified cosmetic surgeon. In essence, the procedure involves the removal of any excess skin around the region of the eye: particularly in the area of the upper eye lid and beneath the eye. The end result of an eye lift gives patient’s a renewed appearance: vibrancy is returned and the eyes look young, health and alert. Wrinkles disappear and the patient gains a significant amount of self-confidence because they look and feel better about themselves. Eye lift surgery has been honed over the years to become one of the safest types of cosmetic surgeries, despite the fact that the eye area is so delicate. Many people are opting for eye list surgery as a way to see almost instant improvement with a relatively quick recovery process.

The eyes are an important feature: they are part of what a person uses to express themselves. Yet, eyes that have the signs of aging around them may not be as efficient in terms of expression. Wrinkles can make an individual look upset or angry when they are not, and it can also make the individual look sad or melancholy when they are in a good mood. Having an eye lift brings back the eyes ability to communicate correctly. In this respect, eye lift surgery can not only improve your looks by making you look younger, but can also improve the impression that you make on other people.

Eye lift surgery can ultimately improve the overall appearance of one’s face. From erasing wrinkles to improving the overall look of the eyes, an eye lift can give one the feeling of youth and help individuals look refreshed and vibrant. Patients of all ages opt to have eye lift surgery each year and the procedure is increasing in popularity.

Candidates for eye lift surgery range in age. For those individuals looking to have natural or birth defects repaired, eye lifts can be performed on the very young. In fact, an eye lift is a common procedure used to restore one’s vision to a state that is appropriate: if the individual’s peripheral vision is affected by excess skin or if the eyelids droop over the eye causing vision problems, a surgeon may elect to perform an eye lift on the patient, and often when the patient is still an infant, so that eyesight won’t be affected as the child grows..

Those individuals looking to reduce aging signs or symptoms may also opt to have an eye lift procedure performed. Since the signs of aging develop differently for each individual, a qualified cosmetic surgeon will be able to advise an individual whether or not an eye lift is appropriate for them. Eye lift surgery can be used to correct issues with the way the eyes appear naturally, overly looking sad eyes can be remedied, and an eye lift can give the eyes a more almond shape appearance.

Essentially, the effects of an eye lift raise the skin around the eye area about one centimeter. While glancing in a mirror at one’s reflection it is possible to imagine such a result: if the eyebrow is lifted with the finger about one centimeter and the cheek area is also lifted, the potential patient can see the marked difference that an eye lift can make.

Whatever the age range of the potential patient may be, the patient should be in good health before enduring any procedure, including eye lifts. The surgeon will ensure that the patient doesn’t have any medical issues before a procedure is performed, and they will also give the patient thorough instructions about the procedure and follow up treatment. Eye lift surgery, just like any other type of surgery, has its risks, and these risks can be greatly reduced if the patient is in the best health possible.

The individual seeking an eye lift procedure will need to find a qualified surgeon. Often times the patient will need to seek out an oculoplastic surgeon, a surgeon that specializes in surgery of the eye. In other instances, some plastic surgeons and ear-nose-throat experts can perform an eye lift. Further, there are some opthalmologists, oral-maxilofacial surgeons and even dermatologists that are trained and qualified to perform eye lifts. The important thing is that the potential patient finds a surgeon they are comfortable talking to. Qualifications of a surgeon are easy enough to verify.

Once the potential patient has identified two or three qualified surgeons, the patient should set up initial consultations with all of them. A patient should always get more than one surgeon’s opinion and they should not be afraid to advise the surgeon that they have other consultations they are planning to attend. A patient has a right to be serious about a surgical procedure and the patient also has a right to get multiple opinions, even in matters pertaining to relatively simple procedures like eye lifts. There are several different types of eye life surgery, and different surgeons may have different ways of doing procedures. It is best to find the surgeon, and the surgery, that feels right for you.

A potential patient can discover quite a bit about a surgeon in the initial consultation with the surgeon. Does the surgeon address all questions about the eye lift procedure readily and openly? Does the surgeon have a friendly and kind demeanor? Does the surgeon have the qualifications to perform such a procedure? Is the surgeon informative, leaving nothing to chance or question? These are some of the things a potential patient should look for in a cosmetic surgeon they plan to work with.

The initial consultation is an important event. It allows the doctor and the patient to get acquainted and it gives the patient time to define what they desire in terms of the eye lift procedure. The doctor will advise a patient whether or not their expectations are reasonable and if the eye lift procedure will serve the patients needs. At such time, the patient will also be required to give the doctor a medical history. The medical history is important because it will allow the doctor to identify possible issues with medication or preexisting conditions.

The doctor will advise the patient about the procedure and what will be done. Further, the doctor will also assess if the patient is being realistic about their expectations—an eye lift is not a magical cure all and while it will improve one’s appearance dramatically, it will not make huge life changes for the patient. At such time, the physician will assess the motives of the patient, to ensure that the patient has a healthy understanding about the procedure and the end results they can expect.

If the patient decides to follow through with an eye lift, a preoperative visit will be set up for the patient. As such time, the patient will receive a full physical to determine their health status. Also, instructions about the day of the procedure, what medications can be taken and what medications will have to be stopped, as well as recovery measures will be addressed.

The eye lift surgery is one that can be performed on an outpatient basis. This helps in some instances to reduce hospital costs, particularly if the surgery is performed in the doctor’s office. If the patient has significant health issues however, the surgery may have to be performed in a hospital setting as a precautionary measure. Quite often the patient will receive anesthesia and they will require that someone is present to drive them home when they are released from recovery.

Some surgeons will not completely sedate the eye lift patient, but will give them a local anesthetic instead. This option will be clarified in the initial consultation or the preoperative visits with the surgeon performing the eye lift surgery. The patient need not worry about experiencing any pain during the procedure no matter what form of anesthetic is used.

Some surgeons create an incision to remove excess skin in the region of the eye, while other surgeons are now relying on lasers to do the job. Again, this is something that will be explained to the patient before hand. The benefits of laser surgery include less bleeding and a quicker healing rate. In either case, some stitches are required and they will have to be removed at a later date. Eyelids are cut, the excess skin is removed and then the eyelid is essentially reconstructed into a more contoured and firmer area. Depending on the patient’s individual circumstances, parts of the lower eyelid are removed, eye brows may be lifted, and under eye areas may also be reconstructed.

Eye lift surgery only takes a few hours and the patient is released after a short time in recovery. The patient may be prescribed a course of antibiotics to eliminate the possibility of infection. As well, patients are prescribed pain medication to ease any discomfort that results from the eye lift procedure.

A patient may be shocked by what they see in the mirror immediately following an eye lift procedure. Unlike television shows where the patient is often depicted as gorgeous following surgery, in real life the patient will find that their eyes may be significantly swollen, red, and bruised. This is due to the fact that the skin around the eye is incredibly sensitive. The bruising does fade relatively quickly however, and the patient will find that their eyes start appearing normal aging in about ten to fourteen days time. Wearing sunglasses allows the patient to keep their eyes protected while they are healing and it also hides bruising well until healing can take place.

Tenderness and minor discomfort is not uncommon when healing from an eye lift. Again, the skin around the eye is extremely sensitive, prone to swelling and tenderness when the region is irritated by a procedure like surgery. Cold compresses help to minimize the swelling of the tissue surrounding the eye, and cold compresses also act as a natural anesthetic.

Finally, during the process of recovery a patient may note that they experience blurry vision from time to time. This is in fact normal because the eyes have been irritated. The blurry vision will diminish as healing occurs and it should not alarm the patient.

If the patient is prescribed pain relief medications and/or antibiotics they should take the medication as instructed and use it until it is gone or the doctor indicates otherwise. Following the doctor’s instructions is vital to proper healing and recovery. Further, the patient will need to discuss their ability to drive while taking certain medications and recovering from an eye lift procedure. Some medications are narcotics and when taken are not conducive to driving.

A patient should be fully aware of any an all risks associated with a surgical procedure. There are risks associated with an eye lift, but most of them are quite manageable. First, infections are possible, but a surgeon will often prescribe an antibiotic to minimize the possibility of an infection’s development. Second, some medications can create excessive bleeding; however, a surgeon will advise what medications can or cannot be taken. Third, there is a risk of scarring after an eye lift. While in most cases scars are tiny and fade within a few months time, some scars may remain. This is something that should be discussed with the surgeon.

If a patient doesn’t take well to anesthesia, they may experience a period of sickness after the surgery. In some cases, some patients don’t handle anesthesia well and their body reacts by making the patient nauseous. Such sickness is temporary and the possibility should be discussed with the surgeon before hand.

The biggest measure a patient can take to minimize risks associated with an eye lift is to listen to everything the doctor tells them and to follow instructions to the letter. Remember, a doctor is not only there to perform the eye lift procedure, they are there to ensure that the patient remains healthy. Taking all medications, resting, and not over doing it after a procedure are important measures to maintaining one’s health after any surgical procedure.

The costs associated with eye lift surgery vary from one patient to the next, from one surgeon to the next, from one procedure to the next. Eye lifts can cost anywhere from 1200 dollars to 4500 dollars or more. Factors that affect the cost of eye lift surgery include whether or not the surgery is conducted in a hospital, what kind of anesthetic is used, what kind of measures are needed in the procedure, and how many visits to the doctors office are expected. If the patient is considerably lucky, they may find a doctor that is willing to work out a payment plan for the procedure.

In most cases, because eye lifts are primarily cosmetic, the procedure is not covered by insurance. Thus, the patient will either be required to pay up front for the eye lift surgery in cash or they will have to finance the eye lift procedure. In contrast, if the eye lift is conducted for the purpose of improving or repairing a natural defect that affects one’s sight, the procedure might be covered under one’s insurance policy. In the end, the patient will be responsible for contacting the insurance company to determine whether or not the eye lift procedure is covered.

When it comes to eye lift surgery it is important that the patient does not weigh the costs over the qualifications of the surgeon. While keeping the cost of an eye lift surgery to a minimum is indeed important, it is more important that the surgeon possess the qualifications and the experience to perform the procedure to the patient’s satisfaction. As a result, considering the doctor’s qualifications should come first: considering costs should come second.

An eye lift or blepharoplasty can be done for a variety of reasons. Some patient’s feel that their eyes appear overly tired all the time, even when they are wide awake. An eyelift can give such patients a more alert appearance. Further, some patients have eyes that are overly puffy: an eye lift removes the excess skin that makes such puffiness prominent in the patient. As well, patients often complain of dark under eye circles, again, an eye lift is an appropriate remedy. Some patients want to diminish the natural signs of aging, while other patients want to have birth defects or defects of the eyelid repaired. In some cases, the eyelid droops unnaturally and creates vision problems for the patient. An eye lift is a procedure that can remedy such a situation.

Whatever the reasoning for getting an eye lift, the patient must take every step possible to find a qualified surgeon they can work with, one that is willing to answer their questions, and one that they are truly comfortable with. In the end, the doctor patient relationship is critical to the overall success of the eye lift procedure.

Eye lifts of course, are in no way permanent. Due to the natural aging process, the patient may be required to have additional eye lifts in the future to maintain a relatively youthful appearance. If the patient finds a doctor they are comfortable with, they can return to the same surgeon if additional procedures are required. As a consequence, faith in one’s doctor goes quite a long way—the doctor and the patient will need to develop a long term relationship.