I Done Frontalis Sling Surgery on my Right Eye 3 Years Ago. I Cant Blink on That Eye?

so can i undo the surgery, so i can blink. that eyes feels heavy at times. i was thinknig can i undo the sling surgery and do the normal ptosis surgery? thanks

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2 Doctor Answers | Asked by pikachu619

Doctor Answers (2)
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Frontalis sling ptosis surgery

Frontalis sling links the forehead muscle (frontalis muscle) to the eyelid, so that the forehead is able to assist in lifting a severe droopy eyelid. This technique is reserved for severe ptosis with very weak levator muscle, which is responsible for lifting the eyelid in normal conditions. One of the downsides of the frontalis sling method is that the eyelid will not properly close or blink if the sling is done too tight. Adjustments are not unusual for frontalis slings. ... more

Frontalis sling surgery

The frontalis sling is used in people with poor eyelid muscle function. Generally, if your eyelid moves less than 4mm when you try to open and close it, this is the procedure of choice. It is a trade off because it does a great job of opening the eyelid up, but makes it even harder to close. Undoing the surgery will likely leave you with an eyelid that continues to droop and may or may not blink well. Discuss what bothers you most about the eyelid with an oculoplastic... more

Matheson A. Harris, MD

6 reviews

Salt Lake City Oculoplastic Surgeon

www.utahoc.com

Comments (5)

pikachu619 18 Aug 2012

hello thanks. did you do the frontalis sling surgery? if so can you blink on the eye? i cant blink on mine. looks weirld when only 1 eye is blinking

petitemiette 16 Aug 2012

So glad to see this post since I have the same question, only I had the surgery 19 years ago (I have ptosis in both eyes). Depending on the situation I think the trade offs are huge. For a long time I'd wake up with a severely runny nose and my eyes bloodshot and itchy, tearing and extremely sensitive to light. I was told it was just allergies and then years later I realized it was because my eyes didn't close were dried out, since then I found a sleep mask for people with extremely dry eyes and that has resolved it completely - thought I'd mention this in case you experience the same). Anyways, that's one of the items on my list of trade offs which is making me consider just undoing it and leave it that way.

Just wondering what Dr. Harris means when he says that may not blink well by undoing it. Please let me know if you do undo it and how it went.

Thanks!

pikachu619 18 Aug 2012

hello thanks. did you do the frontalis sling surgery? if so can you blink on the eye? i cant blink on mine. looks weirld when only 1 eye is blinking

petitemiette 18 Aug 2012

Hi, Yes it was the frontalis surgery. Like you, I can't blink either. Instead I squint very hard and have recently started scrunching my eyes shut in my sleep (sigh). I now joke that I have Klingon blood in me because I have many wrinkles in the inner corner of my eyes, the bridge of my nose (which are horizontal wrinkles thus the klingon reference), and in between my eyebrows. I think joking about it helps to keep me sane, or prevents me from feeling sorry for myself about it.

Unless the doctor/surgeon has ptosis as well, I feel that they can only provide us with information based on the blood, sweat and tears they shed in order to learn about everything they could possibly do to best help address our situation.) What it means to us on a personal level and the history behind living with it makes that decision to keep or undo so difficult. From what I've told you so far I think you can pretty much tell that I'm leaning towards undoing it, which is going to take a bit of convincing my husband and admittedly a bit more research on the cons. ( still wondering about what Dr. Harris meant by how the eye may not blink well by undoing it.)

Don't answer this here, but what matters the most to you? And by the way, how is your eye? Is it okay? have you developed any dark circles of bags under that eye? Do you feel more self conscious about not being able to blink vs your eyelid being lower?

I'm not sure I'm helping much, but I am hoping it helps a bit.

pikachu619 20 Aug 2012

thanks and i feel the same way like you do. i dont know what to do. i was thinking of asking other doctor is there any other surgery that will allow me to blink and have symentry in my eye. because not being able to blink makes my eye dry and itchy and and its wierd. but if i undo the sling surgery wud i be able to blink again..

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