Treatment Eyelid correction
Eyelid surgery is a procedure in which excess subcutaneous fatty tissue or skin is removed from the upper and/or lower eyelids.
Symptoms
As you get older, the skin around your eyes will often become looser. The skin will then hang more in front of your eyes. This can be perceived as cosmetically disturbing. In that case, we can perform a cosmetic eyelid operation for you.
It is also possible that your vision may be reduced. Complaints of headaches, reduced vision and tired eyes may arise. Others often think that you look “angry”.
Who is eligible?
Various eye complaints or conditions are caused by an abnormality in the shape and/or function of one or both eyelids. The ophthalmologist can suggest correcting the observed abnormality. Your health insurer may not reimburse the costs of the procedure. In that case, you must pay these costs yourself.
The procedure
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. After injecting the anesthetic (into the eyelid, not into the eye), the procedure is (almost) almost painless. Depending on the type of procedure, it takes 30-60 minutes. At the end of the procedure, you will be given plasters on the wound and wound care advice. , a pressure bandage and a cooling compress. You must leave the plasters on for a week. When the anesthesia has worn off, you can use paracetamol as a painkiller.
After the procedure
After the procedure, you can recover for a while and the assistant will check your wound for bleeding. If everything is fine, you can go home approximately 30 minutes after the procedure. We advise you to have someone guide you and drive you. This person must remain present.
There is almost always a bruise to be seen around the treated eye. This is normal and this “bruise” will slowly disappear in about 2 weeks. The eyes may also feel slightly burning because the eyelid(s) do not close properly.
Stitches were used during the procedure. To remove these stitches, they can be removed after approximately 7-10 days. You will receive an appointment approximately 7 days after the procedure. Until the stitches are removed, it is best to leave the wound alone and keep it dry, including when showering. In connection with good wound healing and the risk of infection, we advise against rubbing and/or showering/bathing/swimming if the stitches are still in place. This is also the case for approximately 1-2 weeks after the stitches have been removed. If necessary, you will receive another appointment with the ophthalmologist. This appointment is for checking the eyelids and assessing the final result. The feeling in the upper eyelid is reduced in the first few months. This slowly returns (after months). After approximately 1 year, the scar has completely stabilized.
Side effects and complications
As with all other surgical procedures, a number of side effects and complications can occur with this procedure. Here we list the most common side effects but also rare complications.
Asymmetry of the skin fold in both upper eyelids
Even after a very carefully performed procedure, it can happen that there is a difference in height between the skin fold on the left and the right. A slight asymmetry is normal, both beforehand and after correction of the upper eyelid. If there is still a clear and disturbing asymmetry of the skin fold after a few months, this can sometimes be remedied by removing another strip of skin.
Scars
Scars are not only the result of the surgical technique, they are also the result of the skin’s reaction to the procedure. If your wounds generally heal nicely, you are more likely to have a nice scar than someone whose scars always remain clearly visible. Quitting smoking promotes good healing. You have to be patient with scars, only after a year can you properly assess the result. We try to place the scar as much as possible in the skin fold of the upper eyelid, so that it is as little visible as possible. We will provide you with an anti-scar cream, which can be used after the stitches have been removed.
Swelling of the eyelid and numbness of the eyelid margin
An intervention on the upper eyelid leads to a temporary reduction in lymphatic drainage, which means that the lower part of the eyelid margin is thicker after the intervention. This gradually disappears, but it often takes several months for the eyelid to fully recover.
Cysts
Small yellow bumps (inclusion cysts) can sometimes develop where the suture needle pierced the skin. These usually disappear spontaneously.
Color differences between the skin above and below the scar
The color of the skin in the upper eyelid varies slightly from light to dark from top to bottom. After removing excess skin, this color difference between the skin above and below the scar sometimes becomes visible. Color differences are also caused by dilation of the blood vessels in the eyelid after the procedure. This causes the upper eyelid to be redder in color for the first time after the procedure. This is especially noticeable in people with thin skin and light skin color.
A sandy feeling and irritation of the eye due to dehydration
Because skin and muscle tissue are removed from the upper eyelid, the eyelid becomes less heavy. The scar may reduce the closing function of the eyelid somewhat, especially in the first months after the procedure. In patients who already have a tear film of moderate quality or low tear production, (mild) dehydration of the cornea may occur, which can cause a feeling as if there is sand in the eye. This is a rare complication that can be very bothersome. The treatment consists of the use of artificial tears.
A bulging eye due to bleeding
There is a very small chance of bleeding in the eye socket after eyelid surgery. This is a very serious complication. If the eye starts to bulge due to bleeding, you must contact us as soon as possible. The bleeding can press on the optic nerve and, in the worst case, cause blindness. Fortunately, this complication is very rare.
