Eyelid Surgery

Robert M. Schwarcz, MD

Cosmetic Surgery located in Upper East Side, New York & Scarsdale, NY

The eyes are typically the first thing someone notices on the face. As we age, the skin around the eyelids begins to sag, creating a tired and aged apearance. In severe cases, excess skin above the eyes can cause vision impairment. Dr. Schwarcz offers eyelid surgery to lift your lids, address under eye bags, and restore your line of vision to help you look years younger.

WHAT IS EYELID SURGERY

Eyelid surgery, also known as eyelid blepharoplasty, is a cosmetic surgical procedure in which Dr. Schwarcz addresses the effects of aging around the eyes.. These procedures typically invlove the removal of excess skin and fat. In some cases, it may be necessary to add fat around hollowed eyes resulting in a fuller contour and tighter appearance.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF EYELID SURGERY

Some of the many benefits you can experience by choosing eyelid surgery with Dr. Schwarcz include:

Lifted eyelids
A younger-looking, well rested appearance
Less eyelid drooping
Improved peripheral vision
Reduced bags under the eyes

Eyelid surgery is safe, effective, and long-lasting. Dr. Schwarcz has many years of experience producing dramatic anti-aging results using blepharoplasty.

IS EYELID SURGERY RIGHT FOR ME

To determine if you’re a good candidate for eyelid surgery, Dr. Schwarcz reviews your medical history, examines your eyelids, and discusses your desired outcome. It is important to disclose in full your medical history.

If you have excess upper eyelid skin, puffy eyelids, droopy lids, or tired-looking eyes, eyelid surgery might be the solution for you. You must be at least 18 years old, have realistic expectations, and be in good physical and mental health.

HOW SHOULD I PREPARE FOR THE PROCEDURE

Follow all pre-procedure instructions prior to undergoing eyelid surgery with Dr. Schwarcz. Stop taking certain medications if he recommends it, arrange for someone to drive you home after the procedure, and avoid food and drinks the morning of surgery if he asks you to.

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT DURING UPPER EYELID SURGERY

When you arrive to the office on the day of the procedure, you will spend time with the doctor and nurse who explain the surgical plan. Dr. Schwarcz then proceeds to mark the areas to be addressed. In most cases, the upper blepharoplasty is performed under local anesthesia. Local anesthetic is injected around the eye area so you will not feel any pain. This means you are not under sedation anesthesia and will be awake for the procedure. He may prescribe an anti anxiety medication to calm your nerves. If you feel you will not be comfortable being awake, you can request in advance to receive light sedation anesthesia for this procedure.

The procedure involves removing a small amout of skin from the upper eyelids. The incisions are the sutured in a way that leaves the scar hidden in the crease of your eyelid, which becomes essentially invisible after healing is complete.

The sutures are removed about a week after the procedure. and Dr. Schwarcz will follow up with you several times in the first year to ensure your satisfaction with the result.

Click here to see the Upper Blepharoplasty Gallery

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT DURING LOWER EYELID SUREGRY

For the lower blepharoplasty procedure, you are required to have anesthesia. In most cases, this is light sedation, otherwise known as Twilight anesthesia. Dr. Schwarcz begins by marking the procedure area before taking you to the operating room. Once in the operating room, the anesthesiologist will administer the anesthesia, so you will be asleep during the procedure.

In most cases, the lower blephaoplasty is performed internally, meaning there will be no visible scars on the outside of the skin. The procedure involves pulling down the lower eyelid and removing or repositioning excess fat in the lower eyelid. There are cases when not enough fat exisits in the lower eyelids, so Dr. Schwarcz will opt for a fat transfer procedure to be performed in combination with the lower blepharoplasty. The additional fat is typically harvested from the abdomen and spun in a centrifuge to separate viable fat from other fluids and tissues. The viable fat is pulled into a syringe and injected under the eyes in a way that leaves the area with a smooth contour.

Some patients may have an excess of under eye skin that requires some of it to be removed. This is known as a skin pinch blepharoplasty. A small amount of skin is removed from the under eye area as close the the lash line as possible. The resulting scar is minimal and will be hidden under the eyelashes.

To further tighten the skin under the eye, Dr. Schwarcz typically recommends finishing the under eye area with a CO2 laser treatment. The CO2 laser can dramatically address fine lines and wrinkles, as well as pigmentation issues. Not every patient is a candidate to receive CO2 laser, in which case he may recommend other options such as a chemical peel or a series of Morpheus8 treatments.

Click here to see the Lower Blepharoplasty gallery

WHAT IS THE RECOVERY LIKE

Follow all post-procedure instructions following eyelid surgery. Have someone drive you home, get plenty of rest, and take medications as directed by Dr. Schwarcz. Expect some swelling, irritation, mild pain, dry eyes, or bruising for up to 2-3 weeks.

If you have any sutures, they typically come out about a week after the procedure. Use cold compresses and lubricating ointments as needed. Wear dark-tinted glasses to protect your eyes from the sun until your eyelids fully heal. Patients are advised to take at least the first week off of work and in person obligations, but preferably two weeks. At two weeks, you are permitted two wear makeup to cover any bruising or pigmented incision lines. &n

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