Spring Awakening: Improve Your Vision with Eyelid Surgery
- Posted on: Apr 21 2016
Iris is a 49-year-old office manager with a reputation for efficiency. She’s a pleasant, energetic woman, but the drooping skin of her eyelids makes her look tired — not at all the way she feels! The excess eyelid skin is starting to press down on her eyelashes, too, making it difficult for her to see. She’s even taken to wearing glasses she doesn’t really need in order to hide the problem. Of course she’s had her thyroid checked, (it’s normal, though) — and it turns out that her drooping eyelids (called “ptosis”) are simply the result of a genetic trait that runs in her family.
If you’ve noticed similar problems with drooping eyelids, you’re not alone. And you’re certainly in good company if you’re considering blepharoplasty (the medical term for eyelid surgery) as a solution. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), almost 170,000 eyelid surgeries were performed in 2015 alone, and it’s consistently been among the top five cosmetic surgical procedures performed each year.
Dr. Patrick Flaharty, a certified oculoplastic surgeon who specializes in cosmetic surgery of the face, will listen carefully to how you’d like to look and feel, and determine from your medical history if you’re a good candidate for blepharoplasty. For example, Iris likes the size and shape of her eyes, and doesn’t want any changes to them — she just wants to look better, and of course see better. After considering all the information about the procedure and recovery, Iris makes her decision; she chooses an upper blepharoplasty to correct her drooping eyelids, plus a lower blepharoplasty to reduce bags and puffiness that make her look older. After all, why not go for the best results possible?
Together both procedures take less than two hours. Iris goes home with sutures, which are removed five days later. She’s careful to follow Dr. Flaharty’s post-operative care instructions, and doesn’t use makeup or cleaners on her eyes until she’s ready to return to work. Her co-workers in the office notice that something is different behind her thick glasses, but aren’t sure quite what. She explains offhandedly that she’s had some corrective vision surgery, which of course is true. But within two weeks, she begins to get compliments on how good she looks: “Did you change your hairstyle?” they ask.
She seems relaxed and happy (which was she before, only people mistook her expression as sad or anxious). Her improved vision has boosted her confidence and made her even better at her job. Her interactions with office staff and clients are more pleasant for everyone: Iris no longer needs to strain to see, and others no longer worry whether she’s being receptive to what they say. Now everyone can see her as clearly as she sees herself.
If sagging upper eyelids are affecting your vision, your insurance plan may cover a medically necessary blepharoplasty. Even if your goal is simply to enhance your appearance, you may decide that your self-image is well worth the investment. Get in touch with Azul today to schedule a free consultation and discover more about what eyelid surgery can do for you!
Posted in: Procedures