Eye is one of the precious organs in the human body and therefore ignoring eye, especially eyelids, will be detrimental. Cosmetic surgery not only improves the appearance and beauty of eye but also solves its functional problems. Dr. Tarek Al-Najjar, head of the cosmetic eye surgery at Al Maghrabi Hospital in Jeddah, speaks about health matters related to eyelid surgery. What is eyelid surgery? Eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure to reduce bagginess from lower eyelids and remove excess skin from the upper eyelids. Surgery can be performed on either the upper and lower lids, or both. An upper eyelid surgery is a procedure involving skin to remove an extra fold of skin and excess fat, and the surgical incision will be closed with a thin thread that will be removed after one week. This surgery is also performed to remove loose skin from the upper eyelid if it droops low enough to impair vision. A lower eyelid surgery is a procedure on the line of eyelashes directly so as not to see signs of incision. In the case of excess skin, the incision will be on the lower eyelashes. Laser surgery is also used in some cases. In laser surgery, laser is being used instead of medical incision through minute procedures. It is also used to treat and remove wrinkles and pimples. What are the situations that warrant cosmetic eyelid surgery? There is a misunderstanding that cosmetic eyelid surgery is a procedure for opulence. On the other hand, there are several instances of skin becoming flabby and excess fat on upper eyelid that leads to visual impairing, especially in the external half with reduced vision. Loose or sagging skin that creates folds or disturbs the natural contour of the upper eyelid sometimes impair vision, and excess fatty deposits that appear as puffiness in the eyelids. Apart from impairing vision, the patient also experiences severe headache. In such cases, surgery is the ideal solution to remove puffiness and excess skin. Cosmetic eyelid surgery will improve appearance and there is no need for concern about disfigurement. How the patient get prepared for the surgery? Normally surgery is being carried out after the patient undergoes all the necessary tests and follows up the instructions of the ophthalmologist and internist. The procedure will be held after applying local anesthesia. The patient will be allowed to leave the hospital without covering the eye and he has to apply ice and avoid performing any hard task. The patient has to apply substances like ice on the area of surgery to bring down swelling and cyanosis during the 48 hours after the surgery, and keep away from hard labor. In most cases, the patient can engage in normal routine daily activities within 10 days to two weeks after the procedure. Are there any complications and risks involved in the surgery? Just like any surgery, there could be some complications like bleeding or wound contamination or inability to close eyelid fully.
