Is Getting Ptosis Surgery Worth It?

I went to a plastic surgeon yesterday about how my ptosis was affecting my eyesight. I was born with ptosis in both eyes.My right eye is worse than my left. He told me, I would need surgery on both the upper and lower eyelids because my eyes don't fully shut and it might be worse post-surgery. My right eye also swells in the morning. I'm not sure if I should get the surgery and knowing its risky and if it will be a significant improvement to my appearance and eyesight.

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8 Doctor Answers | Asked by sheerin in Brooklyn, NY

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Eyelid Surgery

You should seek more than one opinion and include an oculoplastic surgeon in your search and Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. There will be risks, so you will have to evaluate them and decide if the risks are worth the possible improvement.

Ptosis repair would help

You have mild ptosis based on your picture and sclera show of the lower lid. The surgery for ptosis repair and lower eyelid may be too much. The lower eyelid surgery is much more complex in your case than the ptosis repair. Lateral pictures showing your check bone would have been helpful. Do not hesitate to obtain multiple consultations.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD

28 reviews

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Is ptosis surgery worth it

Congenital ptosis is different than senile ptosis commonly fixed by plastic surgeons. as a plastic surgeon with excellent training in oculoplastic surgery I have always been very comfortable with senile ptosis surgery among other oculoplastic procedures, but even I would not tackle your congenital ptosis because the motor (levator muscle) is usually the problem and unless your visual field is affected the procedure is essentially cosmetic. symmetry will be very hard to achieve and you... more

Is getting ptosis surgery worth it?

Lower eyelid surgery would not have any impact on your eyesight ,nor does improve your ptosis. It is a good idea to address swelling in your R upper eyelid before you go about fixing your ptosis . Ptosis surgery ,however, would help your visual field and relief your forhead muscles from constant work ( contracion) to hold your upper eyelids up to improve your vision. This is a very meticolous surgery and should be done by an expert surgeon , othervise you may need to have... more

Ptosis surgery

A simple frontal photo can be deceiving but it certainly looks like you have ptosis. But ptosis can be caused by more than one anatomical issue. You will need a dynamic exam testing the strength and movement of your upper eyelid muscles as well as lateral photos to see the position of your eyelid relative to your orbital bones, your eyeball and cheek pads. You will also need to have a test of the tightness and mobility of your lower eyelid in the upward direction to see how this... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

I suggest that you consider seeing a specialist for this issue not a general plastic surgeon.

Sheerin Unless your general plastic surgeon is also a board certified ophthalmologist, they are just shooting from the hip here. Yes, you have very prominent eyes. Yes your lower eyelids rest low on the eye surface. Raising your upper eyelids may very well increase the corneal exposure and drying. The real question is what is your dry eye status now. This includes symptoms that you are currently experiencing, and signs including dry spots on the corneal... more

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD

8 reviews

Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon

Is Getting Ptosis Surgery Worth It?

RE: "I went to a plastic surgeon yesterday about how my ptosis was affecting my eyesight. I was born with ptosis in both eyes.My right eye is worse than my left. He told me, I would need surgery on both the upper and lower eyelids because my eyes don't fully shut and it might be worse post-surgery. My right eye also swells in the morning. I'm not sure if I should get the surgery and knowing its risky and if it will be a significant improvement to my appearance and... more

Just ptosis repair. High risk of under- or overcorrection.

Ptosis surgery can correct the sleepy look. It is not an easy procedure and demands precision on the part of the surgeon. Over or undercorrection is common even in experienced hands, in the range of 50%. My preferred technique is a levator advancement because it preserves your anatomy and can be adjusted. You also have excess scleral (the white part) show of you lower eyes. This is not easy to correct either, and sometimes the lower blepharoplasty can... more