BEFORE AFTER

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The eyes are the first thing we notice when we meet someone new. Beautiful eyes can make up for other features that are less than ideal. Likewise, eyes that are tired, droopy, or swollen may not reflect a vibrant inner self. It is often said that the earliest signs of aging are around the eyes. You may feel that the eyes looking back at you in the mirror every morning are old and tired looking, or maybe people are always questioning whether or not you had a good night's sleep because your eyes are swollen with bags. Fortunately, cosmetic procedures can give you dramatically younger eyes through "eyelid lifts", also known as blepharoplasty.

A primary reason for droopy eyes is simply due to age. As everything droops, so do the eyebrows. As the outer parts of the eyebrows droop, the skin of the upper eyelids will look saggy, as if you had developed extra skin that was not there several years before. Trimming this "extra" skin can drastically improve that droopy look.

Another reason for "tired eyes" is because of droopy or migrating eyelid fat. This fat is held back by a thin wall of fibrous tissue called the orbital septum, which sags over time. The fat, held firmly back by this wall in youth can bulge with age, giving you "baggy" upper and lower eyelids. Blepharoplasty trims this extra fat and tightens the wall, restoring a youthful contour.

THE SURGERY

Eyelid lifts can either be done alone or together with eyebrow and forehead lifts. If done alone, the operation takes about one and a half hours for all four eyelids (both upper and both lower eyelids). Blepharoplasty of the upper eyelids alone typically takes less than 30 minutes and is most often performed under local anesthesia only.

For those patients with puffiness under the eye or baggy upper and lower eyelids, laser eyelid surgery can reduce and often eliminate these problems. The end results are a more alert and youthful look around the eyes.

THE RECOVERY

Recovery from eyelid surgery is complete within seven to ten days. A small amount of lumpiness is usual at the corners of the eyes. Minimal blurry vision quickly resolves. Sunglasses allow you to go out in public immediately after surgery, and make-up can be worn within about one week. Normal activity can be resumed the next day, and exercise can be resumed within 7 to 10 days after surgery.

OTHER OPTIONS

Sometimes eyelid lifts are combined with other procedures called endoscopic eyebrow and forehead lifts to improve the height and maintain the contour of the upper eyebrow. The doctors at New York Oculoplastic and Reconstruction Surgery will discuss whether you might benefit from this combined procedure during your initial consultation.