During eyelid surgery, which is also called blepharoplasty, a cosmetic surgeon tightens and repairs the complex muscles in the lid and removes any excess fat or sagging skin to improve puffiness in the lids and bags under the eyes. The surgery can include just the upper or lower lid or both.
While eyelid surgery can restore a more alert and youthful look, the procedure can also offer medical benefits. Your insurance company may even agree to cover eyelid surgery if you have any of these three conditions.
1. Obstructed Vision
Loose or sagging skin in your upper eyelid may droop to the point that your vision is obscured. Without optimal peripheral vision, daily activities like driving can become challenging and even dangerous. Eyelid surgery can tighten sagging lids to reveal your full scope of vision.
2. Chronic Watery Eyes
Sagging skin in the upper lid can also cause chronic watery eyes. The weight of your drooping lid presses too low on the eye, which creates space for tears to gather and leak out. By correcting drooping eyelids with blepharoplasty, you can resolve chronic watery eyes for clearer, crisper vision.
3. Dry Eye Syndrome
A drooping lower lid can lead to chronic dry eyes. Without adequate tears, your eye cannot function properly because tears keep the surface of the eye smooth, clear debris and help protect against infections. Tear production also declines in people older the 50, which may compound problems with eyelids. To correct this, your surgeon can tighten the underlying musculature surrounding the eyes before carefully removing loose skin to create a more youthful lower eyelid.
Talking with an ophthalmologist and cosmetic surgeon can help you decide if eyelid surgery for medical reasons could be beneficial to your eye health.