Eyelid Surgery: Stories

I am in Canada and do not think there would be a lawyer who would take the case. Doctor's do not get sued in Canada that I am aware of. I could be wrong. If you know different please tell me. Also, even more important, what procedure did you find that fixed the problem. I feel "disfigured". I looked so much better before the surgery. Every time I look in the mirror I feel sick inside. I had no idea that I doctor could do such much damage and not even think twice about it. He has no idea what he is doing and did not even take into consideration what my eyes looked like, the distance between my eye lid and brows, the shape of my eyebrows - none of that. My eyebrows are not even the same shape and one eyebrow is sitting on my eyelid. It is horrible!! I am going to see a make=up artist this week to see if he can show me how to create a new "false" eyebrow with brow brush, make-up and setting gel. i don't know what else to do at this point. I feel like I have been in some horrible car accident that has disfigured my face from the lower lid up. Any suggestions you have would be helpful to me and I would love to hear them. Especially if anyone has found a way of fixing a really bad upper blepharoplasty where wayyyyyyyyy too much eyelid skin has been removed and where the incisions went wayyyyyy outside the eye. I have horrible scars outside my eye that are highly visible. So now I have to worry about creating a new eyebrow and covering scars. I am super fair so this is very very hard to do. All I wanted was to look "refreshed" and not so tired. I even told the doctor that. I said, "I don't want to look different. I just want to look awake, alert, and refreshed." This doctor should not be allowed to operate on anyone's eyes ever again!!! I also need all new glasses now as the surgeries have changed my vision greatly. I put drops in constantly for dry eye and earlier I had a corneal erosion - very painful. HELP!!

I so sorry this happened to you. Your surgery results sound horrible. After my surgery an ophthalmologist referred me to an Oculofacial Plastic Surgeon. This specialist wanted to perform corrective surgery to reshape my eyelids. I decided, however, against more surgery and it has now been 2-1/2 yrs since my initial surgery and my peaked-shaped uppers have relaxed somewhat back into a more normal shape. My eyes still remain extremely dry, however and even with numerous eye drops I cannot read or watch tv very long. You might want to consult with an Oculofacial Plastic Surgeon as well. Just beware, all these specialist want to do surgery. Find out all the pro's and con's. Ask what might be the down side of corrective surgery. This information is never volunteered usually. I was actually advised by a physician NOT to have the corrective surgery. I have read so many stories about bad results from corrective surgery. I wish you the best of luck.

Need to correct something. It has been 3-1/2 yrs since my surgery, NOT 2-1/2 as I stated.

Who, whats the name of ur oculoplastic surgeon who performed ur corrective surgery? We need to mention names of good oculoplastic surgeons for others here, who need good references n hope of good surgeons:-) please,if u can b so kind of doing that:"-(

Yes...it seems SO long ago now..but my eyes DO Hurt and are still CRUNCHY every day. I found a wonderful occuplastic eye surgeon at, of course LOMA LINDA....and he advised AGAINST More surgery until we tried OTHER things, and said it is his opinion to WAIT two years after original surgery to do MORE surgery in my case anyway. I went to a funeral yesterday and saw friends who haven't seen me in YEARS who said I looked FANTASTIC and younger...they have to seen me in YEARS and YEARS....!!! I still pull/massage the ONE eyelid that is shorter...and I wear EYE make up every day, as I didn't go thru this surgery to HIDE my eyes,like i used to by wearing dark glasses all the time... NO one would feel "sorry" for me on a jury...as my eyes dont LOOK so bad...they feel horrible. The Dr. would simply say, as they all do, that they can NOT guarantee how surgery will turn out, blame it on my healing rate/scarring rate, etc. Have experience with this sort of thing..and saw one show on 20/10 I think it was with a woman who CANT close her eyes and the jury awarded her 2000.00 or some nonsense. Do u know how much a court case that GOES To trial..civil case costs??? Usually 40,000-100,000.00 and takes YEARS to get to a jury trial. AT least in CA.... The surgeon needs some kind of UNDERCOVER camera crew to expose HIM, his MANY disfigured/unable to use their eyes as they once did ( like, to SEE) and a deluge of HORRIBLE reports, that are true, with pics and documentation so he never practices again. But he's simply change his name, move to another area/state/country and continue butchering people. HE's supposed to be a surgeon that has restored vision to accident victims, etc....he could NOT care less, about what he has done, won't take calls or emails, or texts or visits and SUES people who put negative but TRUE info on the internet about him..... IF I had "nothing" for him to get, I'd sue him in every venue, picket the swanky office, place true information on him every day on the internet, papers, and media. Unfortunately, I'd be the one left with NO assets/bank accounts/homes etc. and probably a HEFTY judgement to pay HIM in intentional infliction of emotional distress, ruining his business, etc etc. My eyes don't show enough damage for a jury to award damages..they can't SEE the one eyelid difference ..like I can. They didn't have or experience the horror of not being able to SEE because my eyes were DRYING OUT and lids unable to close fully. Most folks can NOT or will NOT spend the thousands to have their eyes "fixed" and the bulk of our peers on a jury ...would not feel sorry or bad for us...having a cosmetic procedure done. This eyelid droopiness RUNS in my dad's family and they have had to have their eyelids "done" due to LOSS OF VISION and it was covered by insurance....so it was inevitable AnYWAY..in a few years...so I did it NOW, so I could LOOK better instead of TEN years older. Went for check up by woman physician the other day from India and she thought I was 15 years YOUNGER than I am... ALL my old friends that KNOW I had surgery are amazed at How "good" I look--I had NO idea I looked "so bad" before! People ALWAYS have asked me since I was a CHILD, if I was "tired". I have thin olive skin under my eyes and DARK circles were always present since I was BORN. Then the circles suddenly became "bags" and the eyelids were PUFFY and DROOPY. PEOPLE took me for "much OLDER" than I am!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are NOT dark OR puffy anymore....he did the lowers as well ( talked me into it). EVERYONE said the dark /puffy would be HARD for anyone to get rid of. He did do a good job on that....they look SO SO SO much better. The one eyelid, with me pulling , tugging and massaging on it all day will probably fall another millimeter and I will look "even" or at least what would occur in anyone who never had surgery. The crunchiness may go away as the lids stretch and loosen and perhaps some decade(s) later, I may almost forget about being unable to see for two months...and the horror, terror and fear I had of my eyes drying OUT and causing permanent impairment to my vision. I say, GO TO A LEADING UNIVERSITY and find someone who isn't all about the "fancy" address and waiting room ( if you see a LATTE machine in the waiting room..not a vending one, but a fancy one used in Sbux type places..and the receptionist has a EUROPEAN accent, make an ABOUT-FACE and run down to your HUGELY expensive parking ...and NEVER set foot in the place again, if you do have surgery done there, after hearing this, you may regret it for LIFE.

I agree with everything you've posted here.

Hi Marilyn. I'm so sorry for what you've gone through. Can you share the name of your acupuncturist? I've been looking for a good one near NYC. I have sinus issues, very pronounced eye bags and gearing up for lower bleph surgery. Thinking acupuncture could be a good idea as a pre surgery prep but maybe also a way to diminish eye bags? Did the acupuncture help with your scar tissue?

Sorry to hear of your negative results. I hope that you are able to find satisfaction, whether you decided to go for corrective surgery or contentment with where you are now. I do suggest that it is imperative that we speak up and say exactly what we want (fat reposition). I would also write that very thing on the contract I sign. Best wishes.

Hi Mailyn, I'm interested in the Dr. that does fillers in the hollow spots, as I have a dark hollow spot under my left eye. The work down on my eyes was very sloppy. My eyes are malpositioned. They pull down at the outer corners of the eyes and look unnatural and unappealing. Because of this result, I've suffered with a lot of pain that was unplanned for, tremendous pain and severe depression. I went for this kind of procedure with an eagerness and hopefulness considering the promises.made in the advertisements. To not obtain the desired results is a heart break. I have discovered an excellent doctor named Dr. Patipa and he is one of about 300 doctors in his speciality throughtout the world.He is an orribital and occuoplastic surgeon and he's been in practice forover 33 years. His young partner John Connor he's taken on as his partner and he is involved with the Rand Eye Center. My recommentation to anyone at this point, would be to go see Dr. Patapa

Marilyn, Can you tell me what state you got your surgery in?

I would really like to hear about the "negotiation piece". What did you do? How did you do that? and what did you get out of it? I will likely need to spend a lot of money that I don't have, if I find a surgeon who says he can "improve" my eyes and brows. I say "improve" because I am quite certain there is no way of getting me back the way I was! I look forward to your reply and help. Many thanks

New York

like I said, Tina Miranda - she's in New York and Florida. She is not a flashy person, just mostly does fillers, but I found her reasonably priced and I am happy with the work she's done. Very nice woman.

Hi Vickisue,

Thank you so much for your supportive comments. You are right, it isn't our fault.

It is a great feeling when other people have experienced the same bad surgery so, therefore, they can truly relate to the horror of it all. I do not tell a lot of people what my eyes are all about, because it is really embarrassing. Better to say that I had a car accident or skin cancer than to admit what is really was about.

Excellent to hear that you had revision surgery was successful making your life liveable again. You give everyone hope.

Hi Vickiesue, What kind of additional surgery did you have done? My eyes aren't terrible, but I have a harder look than I had before blephroplasty. I have been to see a couple of doctors who specialize in eyes and both have told me that I have ptosis, which I did not have pre-surgery. The eyelid is now lower than it was before surgery. Both said they could fix this and it would soften my appearance and my eyelid would not cut across much of the top of the iris. Is that what you have had done? Has anyone else had the done after a blephroplasty?

Hello,

Well after many years of reading, I came to the conclusion that fat transfer for upper lids was the right choice. All filler absorb, but fat has a chance to take on oxygen and regenerate fat cells It's natural  .I also took into consideration the cost on some of these so called ,non proven revisions. And as I've often stated it depends on whats left to work with. My upper natural crease was totally removed, changing the shape of my eyes from Almond to Round, also leaving deep upper socket hollowness.

Two years after original surgery I went and had fat injections in upper lids. It absorbed and really didn't have the money or time to go back every 8 months to one year for more.

So I waited and read more. In 2010, nine years after original surgery, I knew my tissue had stretched some on upper lids, Also gravity had lowered cheek bone tissue. When I approach my P.S. whom had done the fat injections, we decided to go with fat grafting. A small incision is cut on upper lid, and the fat cells are laid deeper into your tissue. The chances of them taking on oxygen and regenerating are greater with this method and I still show some fat fullness today, two years later.

Some fat has absorbed which was expected. He then gave me a mid-lateral pull face lift, pulling my eyes and helping with the round look to a more almond. It also helped tremendously. It brought back the softness, and helped fill out the empty hollowed gaunt appearance.

Now here is the BEST PART. This revision which I consider a giant improvement, cost under $6,000.

I went to so many P.S. and other Specialists in my search for revision. Had 9 years to do so. Just the consultation fee's would sometimes cost $150. Others were done on-line for free.

The methods they gave me after all my reading, I knew were not going to work, but cost me anywhere from $8,000- $20,000. UNREAL !

I  was Leary of more invasive surgeries, because they leave more scarring, and if the revision doesn't work, you now have a bigger mess to face in the mirror. After the emotional hell I'd gone through, I couldn't take another chance. I'm glad today I didn't jump on a chance or another surgeons confidence while speaking.

Too me, a slow approach with minimal invasion is the only way to correct upper eye lid hollowness and fullness. Fat grafting with perhaps injections in between, or if enough time has passed,another graft and  a mid lift will help with under lids, for lateral pull to the eyes

.Even this type of revision must be done by a skilled surgeon. Dr Weiskolf in Rockford, is a Reconstruction Plastic Surgeon, and been in practice for over 30 years. I only wished I'd of gone to him to begin with. The way I looked right after my original surgery was the first red flag. I'd seen his work and how woman looked after upper Bleph, and believe me it was no where near the swollen, puffed up, black and blue mess I was after mine.

I honestly look like I'd been in the ring with Mike Tyson for 9 rounds. Steroids had to be given and all the doctors I've consulted, have said the same.It was a horribly aggressive, sloppy surgery with too much fat, tissue and muscle cut. They'll never say it in Court.

If your eyes do not close after this surgery, don't let them feed you crap. It is because they took to much tissue and they know it  !Just because your eyes may still blink, and for god's sake I hope they do, doesn't take away the fact that serious eye problems can developer. To me THAT'S NEGLIGENCE.

What ever you decide, take the slow and common sense approach. These surgeons that claim they can fix you up for $15,000 can't produce photos to back up there Smack.

I read the Posts on here, and all the different ways woman go. Fillers are fine, and for lower lids I have no problem. Some are even known to last. For me, using my own fat, from my own body in an area I do not want more problems, was the logical one for me.Any suggestions from any Surgeon should be investigated to the best of your ability. You'll be surprised what your computer finds. Think carefully of what he is suggesting, how invasive, what is the survival rate, and are there any success stories,photos and how old are they. What do they look like one year later. The one comment that I see on here, and make total and absolute sense, is" IT"S YOUR FACE" so be very careful whose hands you place it in.Eye revision takes many attempts, so take it slow and easy, you won't regret it.

Hope this helped, and my thoughts go with you. I know too well .

Hi Brokenhearted

Yes, I had a bad surgery, to both my upper and lower eyelids.

It's so hard to come to grips with the fact that I did it to myself by making the choice to try to perfect some bags that I though were unsightly. If I only knew!

When I went to consult with the PS, he told me that getting just the lower lids done would look funny (or something like that) and that I should get the uppers done, too. Well, I believed and trusted his judgement regarding how it would look. It turned out to be so unbelievably wrong. So wrong, that it stuns me to think that this doctor was trying to make me look better. It's almost like a child cut away at my eyes, then sewed them up with whatever was around. Just to do the job!

And I can't believe that he could look me in the face and tell me that it looks OK, maybe just take a little more skin off the left eye.

I am glad that you can go out now that you have fillers. That's what I will try because right now they look so scalped.

Hi, L47 - Did I see a message earlier that you live in London, Ontario? It seems as though we have a little support group forming in London. :) I'll figure out how to send you a private email...

Hi Brokenhearted,

I forgot my password so opened another one. Used my daughter's e-mail account. Not sure if it still works. I'm so challenged when it comes to anything to do with computers.

My goodness, who would know that there were other people in London with the very same bad surgeries.

I would love to get in touch with you. Also, Misled lives in Ontario somewhere, too.
You feel so alone and stupid that you could have made that kind of choice. But, it's not our fault, the doctors we chose were not up front with us regarding all the things that could go wrong. Had I known all of them, I would not have had it done, but they make it sound like a cake walk.

Let me know how I go about contacting you guys?

Hi, L46!
I've forgotten my password, too - so I can't respond to your private email. (I'm an idiot!) However, Misled says that you are in touch with her. Misled and I are friends. We are looking forward to you joining our "support group". :) She can pass on my email address to you.