Upper Eyelid Surgery

Eyelid surgery can correct drooping upper lids and puffy bags below your eyes - features that make you look older and more tired than you feel, and may even interfere with your vision.

The upper eyelid drapes over the eye to protect and help keep the surface moist. Closed, the eye may be protected but you cannot see very much through the eyelid. To see you must lift the upper lid out of the way. The elevator muscle performs most of the work to get the upper eyelid out of the way for vision. Photosis of the eyelid means that it droops too low and cannot get out of the way enough for the eye to see. Elevation may be just enough for gaze towards the lower visual fields (towards the feet). Looking straight ahead, the lid may obstruct vision. In this first case (congenital simple photosis), the upper lid covers half of the pupil. The patient compensated by lifting her eyebrow (frontalis muscle) to help with vision when looking up.

For upper eyelid surgery, generally an incision is hidden within the natural fold of the upper eyelid and extends slightly beyond the outside corner into the laugh lines or other existing creases. Through this incision, excess skin and fatty tissue are removed. Because the incision follows the natural contour of the upper eyelid, it will be well camouflaged when heal.