Who Is A Candidate for Eyelid Surgery?

You should be at least 18 years of age to qualify. Men are no less troubled than women by droopy and puffy eyes – both are candidates for this procedure. Some younger patients simply have droopy, baggy eyelids that run in their families. However, most eyelid surgery patients are men and women between 30 to 60 years of age who are experiencing the toll that aging, genetics and lifestyle choices take upon the delicate skin of the eyes. In some cases, the patient has so much excess fat and skin that their vision is impaired. In other cases, dry eye syndrome and corneal ulcers lead patients to constantly tug at their eyelids, causing them to become very loose.

For the year 2005, the America Society of Plastic Surgery showed the age distribution for Eyelid Surgery as: Ages 19 to 34: five percent; ages 35-50: 39 percent, age 51-64: 41 percent and over age 65: 15 percent. Younger patients are candidates if they have very droopy eyelids, or large "bags" beneath the eyes.

Patients should thoroughly discuss their expectations with their cosmetic surgeon. Eyelid surgery will help you to regain a rested, refreshed and more alert appearance. However, it cannot erase your "crow's feet" or the tiny wrinkles that occur with time. Also, while it can add a crease to Asian eyes, it will not alter your ethnic, or racial, appearance.

Are There Non-Cosmetic Reasons for Upper Blepharoplasty?

Yes. "Functional" Eyelid Surgery restores normalcy to eyelids that have been damaged by trauma, infection, inflammation, degeneration or for other reasons. Excessively dropping upper eyelid skin (Blepharoptosis) can impair peripheral vision. This can becomes a potential hazard during night driving for some people. Therefore some insurance might cover the cost of this procedure in extreme cases.

Are there Non-Cosmetic Reasons for Lower Blepharoplasty?

Excessive sagging of the lower eyelids that affects the function and health of the eyes – such as is Ectropion – requires surgical correction. Lower eyelid Blepharoplasty does not correct Ectropion, and in fact can worsen it in people with poorly functioning lower eyelids. To correct or to prevent the occurrence of Ectropion during lower Blepharoplasty, there are a variety of eyelid tightening procedures performed that will be discussed later.

During your consultation Dr. Younai with examine you for lower excessive lower eyelid laxity and will review with you your treatment options for Eyelid Rejuvenation Surgery or Blepharoplasty, including pros and cons of each procedure, potential risks and complications, recovery course, pre and post operative instructions, and esthetic outcomes. At that time he will also recommend if you might need additional procedures to correct Ectropion, eyelid Ptosis or other eyelid dysfunctions. There are also many before-and-after pictures and high resolution images of Facial Plastic Surgery and Eyelid Surgery available in our photo gallery.

Dr. Younai is a board certified plastic surgeon who receives patients at the California Center for Plastic Surgery from the Northern as well as the Southern California region. Some of these cities include Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Hollywood, Burbank, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Calabasas, Woodland Hills, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Pasadena, Glendale, Valencia, Palmdale, Fresno, and Oxnard.