Aging eyes can do more than cause you to look older or tired; they can also cause problems with your vision. For some people, the skin becomes so loose that it begins to pull down over their eyes and impairs their vision. There are varying degrees of impairment, but no matter how much of your vision is blocked, a blepharoplasty procedure can help.
How Aging May Impair Your Eyes
Skin begins to slowly lose elasticity and collagen once you reach your late 30’s, but it becomes progressively more apparent as you get into your 40’s and 50’s. Your skin starts to lose its structural integrity, causing wrinkles to appear and your skin to loosen up. Over time, your skin begins to pull downward, allowing fat deposits to gather and giving your eyes a droopy appearance.
If enough fat deposits build up or the skin becomes loose enough around your upper eyelid or eyebrow, they can start to droop low enough to cover your eyes. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean that your eyesight will be completely blocked or even mostly impaired. You might notice that you can’t open your eyes as wide as you used to or that you can see part of your eyelid when you open your eyes. If you wear glasses, you might notice that they don’t fit as well on your face or that they press up against your eyes. It’s uncommon, but in severe cases, your vision could be partially blocked.
How Blepharoplasty Removes the Impairment
The procedure is commonly known as an eyelift, which does exactly what its name suggests. It lifts up your eyes to improve their overall appearance as well as your eyesight. If your vision is impaired because of extra fat deposits or skin around the upper eyelid, a blepharoplasty will focus on that area to address the impairment.
The surgeon starts by making an incision in the crease of your upper eyelid. Any excess fat can be removed through the incision from the upper eyelid as well as other areas around your eye if necessary. The skin can then be trimmed to remove any extra tissue and lifted up to elevate your skin. Internal stitches are used to close the incision after the eyelift is complete so you won’t have obvious scars or stitches.
If it turns out that your vision impairment has more to do with fat or skin tissue pushing down from your eyebrow, then a brow lift might be more helpful. This procedure functions the same way as an eyelift, except the incisions are made at your hairline instead of around your eyes. If you are having trouble seeing because of both your upper eyelid and your eyebrow, a blepharoplasty and a brow lift can be performed at the same time to give you maximum results.
After Your Blepharoplasty Procedure
Blepharoplasty is usually an outpatient procedure, which means that you’ll be going home on the same day that you have the surgery. You will have some swelling and possibly some pain around your eyes that can be managed with pain medication and ice packs. It’s a good idea to keep your head elevated as much as possible during the first few days of your recovery to keep the swelling down and reduce the pain levels. You’ll also have a follow-up appointment during this period so the doctor can remove any stitches and check on your progress. Typically, patients are able to return to work after the first week and the majority of the swelling will be gone after two weeks.
Once your eyes heal, you will notice that your vision is no longer impaired and that your eyes feel more open. Instead of having droopy, sagging eyes, you’ll have eyes that look younger and brighter. Improving the look of your eyes also has the added bonus of improving the look of your entire face!
Scheduling Your Blepharoplasty Consultation
If you have trouble seeing or wearing glasses due to extra fat or droopy skin around your eyes, contact Dr. Andres Bustillo at (305) 663-3380 to schedule a blepharoplasty consultation. Dr. Bustillo is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon who has worked extensively with blepharoplasty patients in addition to writing numerous articles on the procedure. Whether your eye troubles are related to your upper eyelid, lower eyelid, or brow region, Dr. Bustillo can help rejuvenate your eyes to give your face a more youthful and healthier appearance.