Se Habla Español, Portuguese, French, Italian and Croatian       EYELID LIFT Upper and Lower Eyelid (Blepharoplasty) Who is a candidate? Both age and heredity can play a role in the shape and proportion of your upper and lower lids. Indications for eyelid surgery include upper eyelid overhang or droops, puffiness or “pillows” under the lower lid.  Extra skin may obscure the natural eyelid and cleft between lid and brow creating a hooded appearance.  Eyes may turn down and look sad and frown lines may exist between the brows.  Diabetes and thyroid disease may preclude eyelid surgery.  These conditions will require clearance from an ophthalmologist or primary care physician. How is it done? For upper lid surgery, excess skin and fatty tissue are removed through an incision placed in the natural crease of the eye. The fold of skin between the eyelash and eyebrow is removed. Scars heal rapidly and are barely visible. The result is an alert, more youthful expression.  A combination of approaches is used for lower lids.  If the appearance can be improved simply by removing fatty tissue, an internal incision is made inside the lower eyelid. If both fatty tissue and excess skin are involved, a small incision is made close to the lower lashes and extends into a natural wrinkle line to hide the scar.  Fat may be reduced, redistributed or added.  In the case of “sad eyes” an additional procedure called Canthoplasty or Cantopexy may be involved.  This repositions and reinforces the tendons at the outer corner of the eye to support the lower eyelid.  Although this does not require any additional incisions, it is a procedure that leaves little room for error and must be performed by a skilled surgeon.  Upper and lower eyelid surgery can be performed independently or together and can be performed under local or general anesthesia.  Recuperation Your lids will be tight at first and then relax. There will be some discomfort at the incision site for one or two days. You may experience blurry vision due to temporary swelling.  Sunglasses may help with dry eyes.  Elevating your head and using cold compresses the first 24 hours alleviate some discomfort.  Special drops and ointments will be prescribed.  Stitches are removed 5 to 7 days after surgery and you can expect to return to work and normal activities within 7 days. While not permanent, eyelid surgery usually lasts 10 to 20 years.  Other Options Facelift, Browlift, Canthoplasty Click here for Facelift Click here for Browlift A word about financing… Eyelid surgery can be made very affordable through our partners at Finance company.  Visit them at www.financeco.com  They will be happy to answer any of your questions or assist you with the necessary paperwork.  Insurance Notes Upper eyelid surgery is sometimes used to repair a medical condition if the pleat of skin is obscuring your sight. Correcting impaired vision may be considered reconstructive.  Insurance policies vary widely if there is a legitimate health issue, you'll need to contact your insurance company, Dr. Potparic does not accept insurance. Ask Dr. Potparic How soon can I wear my contacts? Barring any complications, you can usually resume contact lenses within 10 to 14 days.  Dry eyes that temporarily accompany this procedure could make wearing them any sooner uncomfortable. Will I have trouble closing my eyes after surgery? Eyelid surgery is a common procedure and usually carries low risks.  In very rare cases severe asymmetry or a lower lid that pulls down preventing effective closure of the lids can occur. This may require additional surgery to correct.  Be sure you carefully evaluate your prospective surgeon to be sure you are in good hands.  Will I also need a browlift? The perceived shape of the eye is sometimes associated with brow ptosis (droop.) Your complete condition should be addressed at consultation. The surgeon will explain what eyelid surgery alone will or will not accomplish. Patients with true brow descent or who want a higher position of the brow may have to consider a browlift. I have wrinkling, extra skin and puffiness under my eyes.  Will surgery treat this? Wrinkling can be smoothed with laser resurfacing and botox.  Puffiness is addressed with surgical fat removal.  Extra skin also indicates surgery to tighten and remove any excess. What determines whether I am a candidate for internal or external incisions? In younger patients when all we need is removal of lower lid fat, an internal incision through the lower eyelid can be used.  A more comprehensive approach for older patients requires the loose eyelid skin to be removed and tendon be tightened.  This type of incision must be external, but is nicely hidden close to the lashes. Select this link to make an appointment. INFORMATION FROM THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PLASTIC SURGEONS Rejuvenating Upper Eyelids with Your Own Fat Embargo for Release: Sunday, October 03, 2010 Researchers have used cadavers to demonstrate rejuvenating the upper eyelid with fat injections can be safe and reproducible when performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon with meticulous technique and knowledge of the critical anatomy, reports a new study presented at the ASPS Plastic Surgery 2010 conference, Oct. 1-5, in Toronto. Fat grafting has been used to correct what is described as a sunken eyeball; however, fat injections in the eyelid are associated with a higher risk of fat embolus. To refine this approach, doctors injected fat into the upper eyelids of the cadavers, and then examined the area to determine the anatomical fate of the fat after injection. Cadaver dissection uniformly demonstrated that injected fat was deposited evenly and appropriately, without migration or the presence of emboli. The authors then successfully injected fat into the upper eyelids of twenty-one consecutive (living) female patients to treat deepened upper eyelids. Mean age was 56.6 years, and volumes injected were 0.20 to 2.30 cc per eyelid. The only complication reported was under-grafting in several patients, which was treated with repeat fat grafting or soft-tissue fillers. By the Numbers: More than 200,000 eyelid surgeries were performed in 2009, according to ASPS statistics. Eyelid surgery was the third most popular cosmetic surgical procedure performed last year.   http://www.plasticsurgery.org/x8563.xml?archiveCategory=380     Tel: 954-779-2777  1116 E. Broward Blvd. Ft. Lauderdale FL. 33301 Office Hours Monday - Friday 9 AM - 5 PM All contents  copyright 1999-2012 Zoran Potparic, All rights reserved. * Location Map   Dr. Zoran Potparic is a Fort Lauderdale plastic surgery specialist who has helped many Fort Lauderdale breast augmentation patients improve their figures and self-confidence. Dr. Potparic is also considered to be a Ft. Lauderdale face lift, rhinoplasty, tummy tuck, and liposuction specialist. Located in South Florida’s Broward County, Dr. Potparic’s Fort Lauderdale cosmetic surgery practice is well known for high-quality service and superior pre and post operative care. This site has been created by DRC Business Corp     Home Quad AAAA Accredited Surgery Center Procedures Body Contouring Breast Procedures Botox Injectables & Fillers About Fillers Facial Plastic Surgery Why Dr. Potparic Mission Statement Hospital Affiliations Contact Us Testimonials Skin Enhancement Skin Care Services Pricing Ask the Doctor Meet the Doctors staff Dr. Potparic's CV (Curriculum vitae Request an appointment Health History Questionnaire  Save time, print and fill out questionnaire and bring it with your prior to your appointment.  Help us improve, please take a minute to fill out our survey