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Dry Eye - Temporary or Permanent After Upper Bleph?

In some cases I hear dry eye is 'permanent' after eyelid surgery (or ptosis repair for that matter). If it is permanent, does it usually mean that too much skin was removed, tearing mechanism (lacrimal gland) problems, decreased blink (muscle removal), etc etc. This is my most considered risk (and am thorough in researching it), but I know that most cases are temporary (swelling or such). But when is it permanent, and what causes it?

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23 Doctor Answers | Asked by CoolGuys in Los Angeles, CA

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Dry eyes after upper blepharoplasty

There is approximately a 3% occurrence of dry eye after an upper blepharoplasty procedure. The current thought on the mechanism of this dryness is from removal of the orbicularis oculi muscle on the upper lid. It does not involve the lacrimal glands or tearing mechanism. If your eyes are currently dry, they can become drier which is more noticeable after an upper blepharoplasty. We do not perform an orbicularis oculi muscle strip in dry-eyed patients as a general rule. more

Dry Eye - Temporary or Permanent After Upper Bleph?

There are potentially several mechanisms on how one could develop dry eye after blepharoplasty or ptosis repair. Some are temporary and some are permanent. With this in mind, you need to get a full Oculoplastic examination to make sure that you are not predisposed to permanent dry eye after eyelid surgery. once that is determined then most dry eye complaints are temporary.

Sam Goldberger, MD

12 reviews

Beverly Hills Oculoplastic Surgeon

www.neweyelids.com

A Qualified Surgeon Can Protect You From Dry Eyes

The most important step in preventing postoperative complications with dry eyes after surgery is not the surgery itself or how much skin is removed. Three steps to avoiding dry eyes after eyelid surgery: The most important step is a good medical history Medical History. The surgeon should find out whether you have any history of dry eyes or have been treated for conditions related to dry eyes. Do you frequently use... more

Dry eye after blepharoplasty or ptosis surgery

Dry eye after blepharoplasty or ptosis surgery is usually temporary. Tears are made up of three components, water, oil and mucous. The oil and mucous components of the tears originate mostly from the smaller glands which are located in the lid margin. Swelling will cause these glands to function poorly in the immediate post-operative period resulting is dry eye symptoms. Tearing is a paradoxical effect. The brain will sense that the eye is dry and cause the... more

Is dry eye temporary or permanenet after blepharoplasty?

Dry eye can happen after upper Blepharoplasty but it usually resolves after the initial healing. There are however people who have dry eye condition before an upper Blepharoplasty is done and if such condition exists then an upper Blepharoplasty should not be done. The dry eye syndrome, if not treated, can cause the cornea to scar and cause blindness. So this is a matter of finding out if the patient suffers from dry eye before the surgery. A Schirmer test can be done in the office... more

Dry Eye after Blepharoplasty

Some degree of dryness after an upper blepharoplasty is normal and should be expected. This can easily be treated with moisturizing drops in the post op period. When this dryness or irritation persists for months, it is a greater concern and should be evaluated by the surgeon and possibly an ophthalmologist. Too much skin removal is possible but extremely rare, as is lacrimal gland damage. If you already have dry eye then you should think carefully before proceeding to surgery, and be... more

Roy A. David, MD

11 reviews

San Diego Facial Plastic Surgeon

Dry eyes after blepharoplasty

Hello potential blepharoplasty patient from Los Angeles. First of all, prior to any eyelid surgery you should be thoroughly evaluated for any preexisting dry eye conditions. This may require an evaluation by an ophthalmologist with something called a Schirmer test which will evaluate your tear producing ability. If you do not have any preexisting cause for dry eye syndrome, then you are less likely to have an issue post-operatively. During your early post-op period is... more

Dry Eye - Temporary or Permanent After Upper Bleph?

Very rare to have this complication following ONLY an upper lid blepharoplasty. Drs Wallach & Schimmer are correct in the preoperative evaluations for dry eye syndrome tendencies and treatments after. Regards from MIAMI Dr. Darryl j. Blinski

Dry Eye after Upper Blepharoplasty

Dry eye is very common after upper and lower Blepharoplasty and somewhat frequent after only upper. It is almost always temporary. When permanent, there is usually some underlying reason that can usually be found and treated before the surgery. Discuss your fears and any present symptoms with your surgeon before surgery.

Dry eye after eyelid surgery is usually temporary

Although dry eye after eyelid surgery is common, it is usually temporary. In early stages of healing the eyes are swollen and stiff and the blink reflex is diminished. Frequent use of non-preserved artificial tears is usually sufficient to give patients relief. Sometimes a mild steroid drop or lubricating ointment is needed for more sever cases. In my experience as an Oculoplastic Surgeon, most cases of permanent dry eye are related to lower eyelid function. If the lower eyelid is... more

Dry eyes after blepharoplasty.

This is usually temporary but when it is permanent it can have many causes. These include previous unnoticed decreased tear production, too much skin removed from the upper or lower lid, etc. These are not common when done by experienced surgeons!

Toby Mayer, MD

7 reviews

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

Dry Eye after Blepharoplasty

There are several causes of dry eye after blepharoplasty- including failure to identify this ahead of time, excess upper eyelid skin excised, scarring of the lower lid septum, and injury to the lacrimal gland. We are taught to always avoid resecting excessive upper eyelid skin to prevent this from happening, and to be quite honest, I have no personal experience to tell you whether this is in fact permanent.

Rarely is dry eye permanent

Dry eye can occur for a number of reasons but after eyelid surgery, the most common reason this mechanical problem due to the fact that the patient has swelling and is unable to fully close the eyelids. This causes the conjunctiva to be exposed to the air and tends to dry out which causes more tearing. Once the swelling resolves usually the problem clears itself. In the meantime, if the problem is in fact because the patient cannotclose their eye, the surgeon can either tape the eye closed... more

Dry eye is typically a temporary issue after blepharoplasty

Dry eye is not an uncommon complaint after upper eylid blepharoplasty, but it is almost always temporary and is related to the inflammation of the healing process and/or temporary inability to fully close the eye (especially at night). It is important to properly lubricate the eye during the healing process to minimize this symptom. Long term dryness is very unusual, but in situations where eyelid ptosis is repaired, it can occur due to the fact that more of the eyeball is exposed... more

Dry eye with upper lid blepharoplasty

I would say that permanent dry eye syndrome after upper lid blepharoplasty is exceedingly rare to unheard of because there should be nothing done to the tear mechanism or lid closure or function with upper lid blepharoplasty. Temporary dryness or irritation after upper lid blepharoplasty alone is also unusual but could be caused by taking out too much skin or a temporary lack of closure ability of the eyelid. Usually artificial tears and taping the eyelid shut at night would treat this... more

Raises an important point that everyone needs tear production assessed prior to eyelid surgery.

FIrst, because you live in Los Angeles, you are by necessity extra paranoid. Hi neighbor. Your dry eye status can be assessed prior to surgery. However, even the driest eye person can have an eyelid surgery tailored to their particular situation. It is helpful to assess and be acutely aware of unusual dry eye situations. If you are relatively young, healthy, and don't have a preexisting dry eye issue, you are likely to do fine with a properly done... more

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD

8 reviews

Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon

Dry Eye After Eyelid Lift

It is quite common to have some dry eye symptoms after an eyelid lift (blepharoplasty). The inflammation after surgery can lead to reduced tear production and dry eyes. This is temporary in the vast majority of cases. While rarely possible, lasting dry eyes can occur. This may be due to inflammatory changes to the lacrimal gland. In nearly all cases dry eye is temporary and can be improved with lubrication like natural tears and/or eye ointment. By using lubrication in the healing phase... more

Normal to have dry eye after eyelid surgery?

It is actually very normal to experience dry eye in the early healing period after eyelid surgery. There are a number of reasons for this but the bottom line is that it is usually self-limited and improves over a short period of time. That being said, artificial tears can be quite helpful during this time to alleviate the dryness. Whatever you do, avoid Visine since it can tend to irritate your eyes with repeated use. I hope that helps!

Dry eye is important to understand for eyelid surgery...

It is completely normal for your eyes to feel dry after surgery because the tear film is thinner and blink reflex is decreased. It is important to use a lot of artificial tears during the post operative period for lubrication. After a couple weeks, the eyes should be feeling better. Pre-existing conditions such as decreased tear production can have an effect on the outcome so if you feel like your eyes are dry before eyelid surgery it is best... more

Rare to have permanent dry eyes after blepharoplasty

While temporary drying of the eyes is common after upper (and lower) lid blepharoplasty, it is very rare to have permanent symptoms. Eye drops / lubricating drops are frequently advised for post-operative purposes. It is very important to discuss and undergo evaluation of any pre-existing dry-eye symptoms with your surgeon preoperatively -- as many patients have 'drier' eyes inherently as it can be a normal process of aging. Despite having dry eyes, one can usually... more

How to Avoid Dry Eyes After Blepharoplasty

Hi LA, Permanent dry eyes after blepharoplasty should be very rare. Patients are evaluated before surgery to insure that pre-existing dry eye is not exacerbated. You have done your research very well, all of the reasons that you mention in your question can lead to dry eyes after bleph. Now continue your research and choose your blepharoplasty surgeon most carefully. Good luck and be well. Dr. P Encino

Michael A. Persky, MD

21 reviews

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

drpersky.com

Dry eyes after eyelid surgery

The answer depends on how much eyelid lift you get. Usually there is a temporary dryness until the body adjust to increased air exposure from eyelid being more open. However, you should realize that everyone produces less tears as they age, so your eyes get more dry no matter what. Eyelid ptosis surgery and/or blepharoplasty can be done conservatively. There are also various treatments for dry eyes. Dr Taban