Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)

The skin loses its elasticity and our muscles slacken with age. For the eyelids this results in an accumulation of loose skin which collects as folds in the upper eyelids and forms deepening creases in the lower lids. At the same time there is slackening of the muscle beneath the skin allowing the fat, which cushions the eyes in their sockets, to protrude forward to give the appearance of bagginess. In some families there is an inherited tendency for bags to develop during early adulthood before any skin changes.

The problem often seems worse in the morning particularly with prolonged stress and lack of sleep. Fluid that is normally distributed throughout the upright body during the day tends to settle at night in areas where the skin is loose, such as the eyelids.

Drooping of the eyelids is also an effect of the ageing process and aggravates the accumulation of the skin in the upper eyelids. Sometimes so much skin accumulates in the upper eyelids that they hang over the eyelashes, obstructing vision.

What can be done?

An eyelid reduction (blepharoplasty) removes the surplus skin and protruding fat to produce a more alert appearance and reduce the morning swelling. Sometimes it is only necessary to reduce the skin, sometimes the skin and the fat, and sometimes just the fat. If only the fat is being removed from the lower eyelids, this can be removed from the inside of the lower eyelid avoiding an external incision (transconjunctival blepharoplasty).