Eyelid Surgery: Stories

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The Risk is High - and if It Goes Even a Little Wrong...- Seattle, WA

  • Not Sure
  • Cost: $3,000
  • Seattle, WA

My surgeon was rated a "top surgeon in Seattle."...

  • 10 Oct 2012

My surgeon was rated a "top surgeon in Seattle." And still, it only takes a fraction of an inch for this surgery to go wrong. Mine wasn't right. And now 5 weeks later my surgeon is re-doing one eye. I'm not sure I love the other eye's results either. My only advice would be to research a LOT of surgeons and be VERY sure you are so dissatisfied with how your eyes are now that any improvement is better than what you live with. If not, I wouldn't recommend it. The risk is too high (it is your face--your eyes--after all).

If I had really considered the risk, I probably...

  • 31 Oct 2012
If I had really considered the risk, I probably wouldn't have had this done. It's not like my incision is heinous. It's not a horrible, obvious procedure gone wrong, one for malpractice suits and scary stories. But this is my eye, my face. It doesn't have to be. It only takes a millimeter or two out of line. The ever-so-slightly off angle of incision or -- after healing -- the resulting shapes of the eyes being barely detectably off. Not quite right. You know what I mean, when you look at someone and you can just...tell. Something isn't right there. That's how I feel now every day, and I suspect I will even when the incision on my right eye -- which still isn't right -- is finally fixed. I wonder if I'll ever be comfortable with how my eyes look again. I sure hope so. Maybe in a few years I'll go to another doctor and see if I can get it made better, but for now, I just want the obvious bulged scar to be taken away, the natural slope of my inner eyelid returned to "normal," and I want to not be thinking about this every single day anymore.

If I'd known two months ago what I know now, that this "EASY" "ROUTINE" procedure could cause me so much grief, and that I'd wish for my old eyes back again, I never would have done it. I hope someday I feel good again about my eyes -- one part of my anatomy I often was complemented on, but just wanted a tiny lift for. Easy. Routine. How often do we not realize what we have until its gone?

Four months after the first surgery, and two...

  • 7 Jan 2013
Four months after the first surgery, and two months after the second surgery, I've had a third minor surgery to remove a small cyst that formed in my incision area. When my surgeon cut it open, thinking it would be a scar tissue cluster, it disappeared -- apparently actually a fluid cyst. Two sutures and out, and for the first time I look in the mirror and can actually imagine that I am going to look normal soon. It has been a lot of stress, and I have been an "outlier" case for sure, but I am looking forward to the stitches coming out in a couple of days and being back to "normal" soon. I actually believe it might be the case this time. Phew.

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I was referred by my dermatologist, a respected doctor at the Polyclinic. I should have researched more. Everyone convinced me it was an easy, routine surgery. But it doesn't take much to make it not so great. Millimeters. The slightest imperfect healing of skin in the most visible and personal place -- your eyes.

Comments (6)

Roxanne60 29 Oct 2012
Dear River2012: I'm so very sorry that your results were not good. I can't tell from you review if the problem is that your doctor took off too much or too little skin. As the wife of a physician and a medical malpractice attorney, I am very familiar with what can go wrong. I hope he didn't take too much skin which is a common problem with devastating effects in the long term. I know you have already invested your money and plan to go back for a revision but I STRONGLY suggest before you do this you get yourself to a opthamologist who specializes in eyelid surgery or some call themselves ocular plastic surgeons for a second opinion. That is the best doctor for this type of surgery because the person doing the surgery must take into account more than the cosmetic look, but function of the eyelid. I've had cases where the doctor took off too much skin and the patients were completely unable to close their eyes to sleep and had to tape them shut every night. You live in Seattle, which is a wonderful town of tremendous cutting edge medicine. go to the University and just get the opinion of an ocular plastic surgeon before you let anyone do revision. At the very least you can make your current doctor aware of what wasn't done correctly and how it should be revised. Your eyes are precious and if the lids aren't closing you can get severe infections and life long dry eye syndrome which is extremely painful. Best Wishes & keep us posted!
river2012 31 Oct 2012
Hi Roxanne, I can close my eyes just fine. It's just that the work on my right eye doesn't look natural and now, 3-weeks after the revision, there is an incision scar that is noticeable with its ridge and unnatural angle to the corner of my eye. I will see my doctor again next week to discuss. Thanks for your effort, though.
Sharon at RealSelf (Community Manager) 12 Oct 2012

Hi River -- I'm really sorry to hear about your results. :( When are you getting the revision done? I'll be thinking happy thoughts for you.

river2012 12 Oct 2012
Today! I'm really pretty scared. Hoping he doesn't make it worse (or odd unnatural-looking) in trying to make it better. Thanks so much for your thoughts. Very much appreciated.
Sharon at RealSelf (Community Manager) 12 Oct 2012

Oh my gosh, today! Good luck! I'm sure everything will go great.

river2012 13 Oct 2012
Hi - it seemed to go well. Much easier than last time. As best I can tell, the incision looks like it's where it should be now. We'll see for sure when the sutures are out and tape comes off. Let the healing begin!

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