Getting Worse 14 Months After Blepharoplasty, Is Revision an Option? (photo)

asked 5 months ago by Jill4457
Latest answer by A.J. Amadi, MD
Question viewed 250 times
Tags: lower eyelids, 1 year post-op, loose, tear duct, unhappy, worse

Went to an occuoplastic surgeon after 14 months of misery - he told me that my lower lids were loose and though my tear ducts were producing tears, only 1/2 of my eye was getting the benefit of them. He said my eyes were being pulled down at the outer corners, He told me to try and stretch the skin and loosen the ends. I'm in a nightmare. I tape my eyes shut at night, and wear sunglasses during the day. My life is forever changed. Help?

9 answers to Getting Worse 14 Months After Blepharoplasty, Is Revision an Option? (photo)

Revision is definitely an option

From photos alone, it is difficult to assess your problem. The movement of the eyelids is quite important as well, both passive [manipulation by the examiner] as well as active [blinking]. From the photo alone, the only thing that can be seen here is that your righ tlower eyelid is slightly drooping laterally [outside corner], and the left upper eyelid is slightly droopy [ptosis]. An examination by an experience ASOPRS trained Oculoplastics surgeon is your best bet. If you're not... more

A.J. Amadi, MD
Seattle Oculoplastic Surgeon

Getting Worse 14 Months After Blepharoplasty, Is Revision an Option?

It appears and sounds like you have dry eye syndrome and should follow the instructions of the occuloplastic surgeon that eveluated you in person. Lower Eyelid Surgery should be performed using the transconjunctival method without external skin removal when patients have weak lower eyelids. Otherwise lower lid malposition can occur, tear ducts are displaced and the eyes dry out.

Francis R. Palmer, III, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Can a revision correct my eyes 14 months post blepharoplasty?

Your situation needs a careful evaluation which starts with an examination. It is difficult to know what your problem is from a single photo. If your problem is related to dryness. There are many procedures that could correct the lower eyelid position and improve your symptoms. These include canthoplasty, tarsal strip, or horizontal lid shortening depending on the clinical findings. Find a plastic surgeon with an interest in eyelid surgery.

Farhad Rafizadeh, MD
Morristown Plastic Surgeon

Getting Worse 14 Months After Blepharoplasty, Is Revision an Option?

It sounds like you could benefit from treatment. What that treatment is will depend on your examination. You should seek furhter consultations from Oculoplastic surgeons to see what could be done. ASOPRS.org will help you locate Oculoplastic surgeons near you.

Sam Goldberger, MD
Beverly Hills Oculoplastic Surgeon

www.neweyelids.com

Dry eye after blepharoplasty surgery

Your situation is complex and you cannot be fully assessed by just looking at your one frontal photo. I assume your complaints are sun sensitivity and inability to fully close your eyes at night while sleeping. The question then is is the problem due only to the upper eyelids, only the lower eyelids or both. From the photos it is unclear that too much eyelid skin was removed. You may have had a pre-surgical condition (such as lack of lower eyelid support) that contributed to this as it was... more

Aaron Stone, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Problems following blepharoplasty

I agree the additional surgery may be of benefit. if the skin is loose enough.. a canthoplasty can lift and tighten the corner of the eye. a cheek lift may be of benefit to take the weight of the cheek off of the lower lid. if the skin is tight or the lid tight inside then a spacer can be used to release the tissue.. there are still many options

Jed H. Horowitz, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Lower eyelid revision can help a lot

Jill: Your photo shows us several interesting post surgery features. The sun bothers you and that may be hard to correct. Sun glasses and face foundation that absorbs rather than reflects light might help.The dry eyes may persist but I see enough down pull of the lower eyelids that should be able to be corrected with surgery that may very well correct the dryness. A procedure called a "canthoplasty" is straight forward enough to do if you have the right surgeon and this will lift... more

Harlow Hollis, MD
Victoria Plastic Surgeon

Getting worse 14 months after blepharoplasty

It is always good to get additional opinions. For example, I am a fully trained, oculo-facial plastic surgeon and member of ASOPRS, and I have almost 30 years of clinical experience, and yet I disagree with a lot of what Dr. Steinsapir wrote. I certainly do believe that there is help available to you and that eyelid revision may provide you with significant symptom relief. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Lawrence Kass, MD
Saint Petersburg Oculoplastic Surgeon

www.kassmd.com

These are very complex situations.

Jill You have the right idea on seeking second opinions. What you have is a very typical eyelid result. Too much skin appears to have been removed from the upper eyelids and the right upper eyelid is ptotic. The lower eyelids are pulled down as a consequence of the transcutaneous lower blepharoplasty. The orbicularis muscle that should function as a sling to hold up the lower eyelid has had its motor nerves injured when the lower eyelid incision cut these nerves.... more