POSTED UNDER Eyelid Surgery Reviews
52 , Want to Rejuvenate my Eyes So I Can Look Like Myself Again. Upper and Lower Blepharoplasty - St. Petersburg, FL
UPDATED FROM ZenBod
2 months post
2 mos : Still scary looking, deep hollows (please Do Not use Dr. Kass ) no Movement of lower lids
$6,500
Please stay far away from Dr. Lawrence Kass, he is practicing 1970's style eye lid surgery - God I wish I had done more research before getting my surgery. I cant beleive I let this man take away my features and my expressions and changed the shape of my eyes and my entire face. Just praying it can be fixed by a surgeon who knows what makes. Womans face look beautiful.
It is 2 months since my surgery and I keep hoping it is getting better, but it may actually be getting worse.
as it heals and the skin pulls tighter below my eyes, the lower lid layers that have fused together by scarring. Are making me look like I am a skeleton because the hollows are so deep under my eyes, giving me dark circles that cant be completely hidden with makeup. Everywhere i go I am having to be concerned with the lighting so
At least I dont look startling to my coworkers.
Still not much dynamic movement of my lower lids, due to the scarring.
Still rounded eyes , the right eye is pulled out showing too much sclera and if I Open my eyes wide I hear a "pop" sound and ther is a little hole on the lateral part of the eye that im pretty sure shouldn't be there.
My eyes hurt, like they have rubber bands around the lids. Not sure if this is "healing", most things i e read say healing should be done by now and there may be suble changes, not major changes.
Please please watch all the eye surgery videos by Michael Law, MD on his website , I wish I had. He tells you what to look for in a surgeon.
How are we to know as consumers that there are some Or even, many
BOARD- CERTIFIED OCULOPLASTIC SURGEONS, like my surgeon, Lawrence Kass, that have NO IDEA WHAT MAKES A WOMAN'S EYES LOOK YOUTHFUL?
How can this be reality? But it is. It is my nightmare.
This Dr. Has ZERO empathy for his patients. Zero. He still will. Not admit that anythig. Is wrong with my outcome.
And when I went to look at his answers to realself questions, he is arrogant and tells the people asking questions to stop their whining and "give it time" on almost every answer. Why didnt I see it? I just thought an experienced board scertified eye specialty surgeon would,know what he was doing. It still blows my mind that he literally gouged the sexy and the personality out of my eyes .
I got my medical records from him, and his office does not even use an Electronic Medical Record, No surpirise, he is in the dark ages with all his methods apparently.
The girl on the phone said " he doesnt use an EMR, hes old school" yes, indeed.
using old methods of cutting out every bit of skin and fat I had above or below my eyes.
I never authorized him to do a cutaneous incision, which he did on my lower lid and caused all the lower lid complications. When I asked him why he did it, when I had said I wanted the interconjunctival incision, he said " I didnt think you'd be happy if I didnt take the extra skin". But he never asked me or told me about the risks. I never knew there was the possibility of what has happened to me.
Also, The "medical record" they gave me, is simply a completely generic template of a quad bleph operation, WITHOUT ONE WORD SPECIFIC TO ME. No mention of how much skin was taken, from anywhere, which I know is listed on other medical records of bleph surgery. It has the "conservative" written all over it, a "conservative" amount of skin was excised, etc. Tell me this:How can it be a "conservative" amount of skin excised, when I have NO FOLD in my right lid, and I can see to the back of the bony orbits on both upper lids, ugly as sin.
Dr Kass was even trying to explain to me how I guess I should feel lucky becasue some of his patients can't close their eyes at night for several months! Oh my Lord! He thinks that is normal too! Holy God. That is an extremely bad complication casued by a surgeon who doesnt know what he's doing.
And are not up on the newest methods.
Please do your research.and learn from my mistake.
I will have to have revision surgery in another 4-5 mos, one, to add fat back to my upper lids and lower lids, to bring some of the feminine softness back to my face, and also another revision to un-fuse the lower lid layers, so my eyelids can move again. I am trying to not think too much about it, but in the meantime my life has been put on hold. I had to cancel two trips to see friends and a personal relationship may have been lost forever due to this timing. I had done the surgery to look better for that meeting, which now has never happened. I dont even want to see strangers becasue I cant smile without looking like a surgery freak.
Ok enough crying for one session of therapy, back to caking on the concealer!
Lord help us all in thsi terrible predicament.
It is 2 months since my surgery and I keep hoping it is getting better, but it may actually be getting worse.
as it heals and the skin pulls tighter below my eyes, the lower lid layers that have fused together by scarring. Are making me look like I am a skeleton because the hollows are so deep under my eyes, giving me dark circles that cant be completely hidden with makeup. Everywhere i go I am having to be concerned with the lighting so
At least I dont look startling to my coworkers.
Still not much dynamic movement of my lower lids, due to the scarring.
Still rounded eyes , the right eye is pulled out showing too much sclera and if I Open my eyes wide I hear a "pop" sound and ther is a little hole on the lateral part of the eye that im pretty sure shouldn't be there.
My eyes hurt, like they have rubber bands around the lids. Not sure if this is "healing", most things i e read say healing should be done by now and there may be suble changes, not major changes.
Please please watch all the eye surgery videos by Michael Law, MD on his website , I wish I had. He tells you what to look for in a surgeon.
How are we to know as consumers that there are some Or even, many
BOARD- CERTIFIED OCULOPLASTIC SURGEONS, like my surgeon, Lawrence Kass, that have NO IDEA WHAT MAKES A WOMAN'S EYES LOOK YOUTHFUL?
How can this be reality? But it is. It is my nightmare.
This Dr. Has ZERO empathy for his patients. Zero. He still will. Not admit that anythig. Is wrong with my outcome.
And when I went to look at his answers to realself questions, he is arrogant and tells the people asking questions to stop their whining and "give it time" on almost every answer. Why didnt I see it? I just thought an experienced board scertified eye specialty surgeon would,know what he was doing. It still blows my mind that he literally gouged the sexy and the personality out of my eyes .
I got my medical records from him, and his office does not even use an Electronic Medical Record, No surpirise, he is in the dark ages with all his methods apparently.
The girl on the phone said " he doesnt use an EMR, hes old school" yes, indeed.
using old methods of cutting out every bit of skin and fat I had above or below my eyes.
I never authorized him to do a cutaneous incision, which he did on my lower lid and caused all the lower lid complications. When I asked him why he did it, when I had said I wanted the interconjunctival incision, he said " I didnt think you'd be happy if I didnt take the extra skin". But he never asked me or told me about the risks. I never knew there was the possibility of what has happened to me.
Also, The "medical record" they gave me, is simply a completely generic template of a quad bleph operation, WITHOUT ONE WORD SPECIFIC TO ME. No mention of how much skin was taken, from anywhere, which I know is listed on other medical records of bleph surgery. It has the "conservative" written all over it, a "conservative" amount of skin was excised, etc. Tell me this:How can it be a "conservative" amount of skin excised, when I have NO FOLD in my right lid, and I can see to the back of the bony orbits on both upper lids, ugly as sin.
Dr Kass was even trying to explain to me how I guess I should feel lucky becasue some of his patients can't close their eyes at night for several months! Oh my Lord! He thinks that is normal too! Holy God. That is an extremely bad complication casued by a surgeon who doesnt know what he's doing.
And are not up on the newest methods.
Please do your research.and learn from my mistake.
I will have to have revision surgery in another 4-5 mos, one, to add fat back to my upper lids and lower lids, to bring some of the feminine softness back to my face, and also another revision to un-fuse the lower lid layers, so my eyelids can move again. I am trying to not think too much about it, but in the meantime my life has been put on hold. I had to cancel two trips to see friends and a personal relationship may have been lost forever due to this timing. I had done the surgery to look better for that meeting, which now has never happened. I dont even want to see strangers becasue I cant smile without looking like a surgery freak.
Ok enough crying for one session of therapy, back to caking on the concealer!
Lord help us all in thsi terrible predicament.
ZenBod's provider
UPDATED FROM ZenBod
1 month post
I FINALLY know what is happening with my eyes!
I saw Dr. Michael Patipa in South Florida Wednesday morning, and I feel so much better now.
He listened to my concerns, examined me ( actually touched my eyelids, which Dr. k
Kass has never done post op), and then explained in detail the anatomy of what was going on ( No Virginia, it IS NOT due to mysterious "swelling"), and told me what I could do to help the issue, as well as what options I would have if it did not resolve to my liking after 6 months.
Why couldn't my PS explain this to me?
Did Dr. Kass actually not know what was going on with my eyes? Or did he just not think I deserved to know? Neither answer is good. bizarre.
Another odd issue that came up:
I had 15 units of BOTOX placed in my crows feet by Dr. Kass about a month before my blephoroplasty. Dr. Patipa said he would not do eye lid surgery with Botox on board because it is paralyzing muscles, which makes a lot of sense to me! BOTOX LASTS 3-4 months so it was obviously still paralyzing my muscles at the time of surgery.
I was wondering about that too, whether Dr Kass forgot that I had just had BOTOX done by him? So this is yet another issue, that I will really have to explore. Dr P would not make a judgement on my PS about this, except to say he would not do it. I suppose that, on a positive note, some of my issues may get better as the botox
wears off. Although then i will have my crows feet back.
Dr. Patipa was a very nice, friendly older man, very kind, and very good at explaining the eye structures. He specializes in fixing cosmetic eye surgery complications. He ONLY deals with the outer eye. that is it.
He gave me a copy of a paper he wrote specifically about lower lid complications after eye surgery. Very impressive and exactly what I wanted to know.
He also gave me a drawing of the eye lid structures.
Essentially, almost every one of my issues stem from two things:
1. My lower lid incision scar has fused with my orbital septum in the middle ( the firm structure attached to bone) he said a certain percent of people have this happen (lucky me- 2 complications/ hematoma AND Fusion! - I always was an over achiever!)
and therefore is extremely tight, especially under the left eye where I had the hematoma, which only recently resolved.
2. I have lower lid tendon laxity ("hammock" tendon - it is loose) plus I dont have muscles due to botox. He said it is not the norm to have such laxity at age 52.
He said he did not think that too much skin or fat was removed,
so that was good to hear. He said it was still very early post op at 5-6 weeks, so the lower lid scars would soften up a lot, especially with massage. He really believes in massage, not injecting anything. But he said they were very tight.
* The fusion and subsequent tightness is the reason my lower lids are not moving or "dynamic" when I smile, causing me to look like I am wearing an eye mask and my eyes are "frozen"! - Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! This is what has really been scaring me. I knew there was a rational explanation and this was not "normal", nor due to some generic swelling.
He said I was very observant to have noticed that, but I don't see how anyone would not notice that freaky frozen look, (except apparently Dr Kass and the ladies in his office.) Again, it may well look normal in another month or two, but why the charade at my PS office?
Dr. Patipa showed me the finger massages I need to do 4 times a day, 25 repetitions, really pushing the lid up in the middle, it hurts on the left side, but I will get that sucker to move, believe me. I have been massaging the right lid already, so it is already much easier to move.
* He said because it is so tight - it is causing the under eye fat to be pushed backwards, creating the hollows and darkness under my eyes.
* He said the tightness combined with my lower lid laxity (loose "hamock" tendon under lower lid) - is causing my eye to be pulled down, making the eyes too round and/or odd shaped.
* He said the lateral (outer) canthus of the eye should be 2 mm higher than the inner canthus, so that the tears can drain properly, which is not the case right now either.
I will do my massaging and hope that I see improvement week by week, but I feel a lot better finally knowing what is going on. I am experimenting with makeup to cover the dark circles in the meantime, and I will be going back to see him again in 3 mos. He told me the options if I am not satisfied with my results at 6 mos post-op, which will be at the end of November, such as tightening the hammock tendon. (I feel like I will want this done in 6 mos because I really want my almond- shaped eyes back).
I am Very happy that I was pro-active and got a second opinion. Very happy with Dr. Patipa's consultation, information and education.
I would recommend anyone with post-op complications to see him before deciding what to do.
He listened to my concerns, examined me ( actually touched my eyelids, which Dr. k
Kass has never done post op), and then explained in detail the anatomy of what was going on ( No Virginia, it IS NOT due to mysterious "swelling"), and told me what I could do to help the issue, as well as what options I would have if it did not resolve to my liking after 6 months.
Why couldn't my PS explain this to me?
Did Dr. Kass actually not know what was going on with my eyes? Or did he just not think I deserved to know? Neither answer is good. bizarre.
Another odd issue that came up:
I had 15 units of BOTOX placed in my crows feet by Dr. Kass about a month before my blephoroplasty. Dr. Patipa said he would not do eye lid surgery with Botox on board because it is paralyzing muscles, which makes a lot of sense to me! BOTOX LASTS 3-4 months so it was obviously still paralyzing my muscles at the time of surgery.
I was wondering about that too, whether Dr Kass forgot that I had just had BOTOX done by him? So this is yet another issue, that I will really have to explore. Dr P would not make a judgement on my PS about this, except to say he would not do it. I suppose that, on a positive note, some of my issues may get better as the botox
wears off. Although then i will have my crows feet back.
Dr. Patipa was a very nice, friendly older man, very kind, and very good at explaining the eye structures. He specializes in fixing cosmetic eye surgery complications. He ONLY deals with the outer eye. that is it.
He gave me a copy of a paper he wrote specifically about lower lid complications after eye surgery. Very impressive and exactly what I wanted to know.
He also gave me a drawing of the eye lid structures.
Essentially, almost every one of my issues stem from two things:
1. My lower lid incision scar has fused with my orbital septum in the middle ( the firm structure attached to bone) he said a certain percent of people have this happen (lucky me- 2 complications/ hematoma AND Fusion! - I always was an over achiever!)
and therefore is extremely tight, especially under the left eye where I had the hematoma, which only recently resolved.
2. I have lower lid tendon laxity ("hammock" tendon - it is loose) plus I dont have muscles due to botox. He said it is not the norm to have such laxity at age 52.
He said he did not think that too much skin or fat was removed,
so that was good to hear. He said it was still very early post op at 5-6 weeks, so the lower lid scars would soften up a lot, especially with massage. He really believes in massage, not injecting anything. But he said they were very tight.
* The fusion and subsequent tightness is the reason my lower lids are not moving or "dynamic" when I smile, causing me to look like I am wearing an eye mask and my eyes are "frozen"! - Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! This is what has really been scaring me. I knew there was a rational explanation and this was not "normal", nor due to some generic swelling.
He said I was very observant to have noticed that, but I don't see how anyone would not notice that freaky frozen look, (except apparently Dr Kass and the ladies in his office.) Again, it may well look normal in another month or two, but why the charade at my PS office?
Dr. Patipa showed me the finger massages I need to do 4 times a day, 25 repetitions, really pushing the lid up in the middle, it hurts on the left side, but I will get that sucker to move, believe me. I have been massaging the right lid already, so it is already much easier to move.
* He said because it is so tight - it is causing the under eye fat to be pushed backwards, creating the hollows and darkness under my eyes.
* He said the tightness combined with my lower lid laxity (loose "hamock" tendon under lower lid) - is causing my eye to be pulled down, making the eyes too round and/or odd shaped.
* He said the lateral (outer) canthus of the eye should be 2 mm higher than the inner canthus, so that the tears can drain properly, which is not the case right now either.
I will do my massaging and hope that I see improvement week by week, but I feel a lot better finally knowing what is going on. I am experimenting with makeup to cover the dark circles in the meantime, and I will be going back to see him again in 3 mos. He told me the options if I am not satisfied with my results at 6 mos post-op, which will be at the end of November, such as tightening the hammock tendon. (I feel like I will want this done in 6 mos because I really want my almond- shaped eyes back).
I am Very happy that I was pro-active and got a second opinion. Very happy with Dr. Patipa's consultation, information and education.
I would recommend anyone with post-op complications to see him before deciding what to do.
Replies (5)
June 27, 2015
I'm so glad you got your answers and most importantly, that at some point in the near future, you will be happy with the way you look. It's been a frustrating journey for you and I'm so sorry you had so many complications. I have heard not to do Botox or fillers for at least 6 months before surgery. I'm surprised your PS did that for you knowing you were planning surgery on your eyes, ugh.
Thank you for keeping us updated on your progress! I hope each day, you continue to look and feel better!
Thank you for keeping us updated on your progress! I hope each day, you continue to look and feel better!
June 28, 2015
Thank you so much, I am trying to be positive, still very scary as my eyes still have the frozen look and odd shape when I smile making me literally look like a ghoul. I hope he is right in what he says, but only time will tell.
I have read where Botox in the crows feet should not matter, so who knows? When there are complications like I have had, I have to question everything. Thanks again for your positive words.
I have read where Botox in the crows feet should not matter, so who knows? When there are complications like I have had, I have to question everything. Thanks again for your positive words.
June 28, 2015
Hang in there! The good news is that it can be fixed if you end up not happy. It will just be a matter of time. Until then, keep your head up and be confident in knowing you won't feel this way forever.
June 28, 2015
Thanks for your updates. This new doctor, although older knows what he is talking about.
Sue
Sue
June 28, 2015
Hi thanks for your comment, I hope I can at least get someone thinking about having this done, consider very carefully who does their procedure, and to ask exactly what they will do, etc. I dont know how old Dr. P is, but he seemed to know exactly what was going on. I hope I can like my face again, still not out of the woods by any means.
June 28, 2015
I'm so sorry you've gone through all of this mess! It must be such a relief to get valid answers to your questions after the runaround for so long. It's quite scary a doctor would perform surgery so recently after doing botox. Glad you've got a new Dr!
June 29, 2015
I was also advised by my surgeon to have botox just 3 weeks prior as it would stop me moving my forehead during surgery (think that was the reason) He injected the glabella and was about to inject around my eyes when I stopped him, thank god! I have also suffered a prolonged healing process with fairly horrified reactions from people around me. I will post a review at some point but at nearly 4 months post op I feel I am only just now looking fairly normal (coinciding with the botox wearing off! ) I had the same response with my issues ie 'it's the swelling' or 'it's the botox', so why give it before surgery!!! Doesn't help build trust does it? Hope everything turns out well for you.
June 29, 2015
Hi, thanks for writing, so glad to hear that you are finally looking better and seeing improvement. I feel like today is the first day, Monday, June 29th, at 6 weeks post op, that I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. I look more like a normal person today and like MYSELF, and dont feel scared that I disfigured my face forever.
I think it Must be tied to the botox injections. I had 15 units on each side of my eyes for crows feet on April 17th, but I obviously didnt see exactly where he put it. My eyes were feeling very very tight saturday and sunday, giving me a headache, I was doing my massages and then decided to raise my eyebrows to try to stretch it, and I saw movement that I hadnt seen before! I did 25 of these stretches, and sunday night I noticed some crows feet coming back that looked like they came from heaven because it showed the botox was wearing off, and the wrinkles were going UP not down, helping me not to have the 'sad eyes'.
Yesterday morning my eyes wre still frozen looking with a smile, accentuating my bony orbits, smile lines not crossing the bony orbits, very sunken, looking like a skeleton, but today, my smile wrinkles are crossing the orbit lateraly and some of my crows feet are back! Holy Sh$@!!! How could they not tell us this would happen?
Just pathetic on the part of these surgeon's post op care and overall patient care. Absolutley no understandi g of human emaotion, and no empathy. More than that, it has caused me tremendous anxiety that could have easily been avoided. Is this an anti-women thing, male dominance of some kind? I have always heard about the "God- complex" of surgeons, but this is just plain cruel and unnecessary torture. I was fearing that I may never look normal again.
I am cautiously optomistic now.
Still have issues:
My right eye still has laxity causing it to drop slightly on the outside and has an ectropian ( inner lid flipped out) I know because I took some photos where that lower line glistens and reflects the light abnormally, since it should NOT normally be moist mucosa showing.
The right eye still has swelling, although Dr. Patipa told me that the hematoma was gone. The swelling comes and goes, but I have heard many people say that residual will resolve in a few months.
Maybe when the botox wears off completely it will fix some of these issues as well? Who knows?
Anyway, Im glad we at least figured this out! Hope is a good thing to have.
Best of luck to you , and thanks again for writing, it helps to know that we are not alone.
I think it Must be tied to the botox injections. I had 15 units on each side of my eyes for crows feet on April 17th, but I obviously didnt see exactly where he put it. My eyes were feeling very very tight saturday and sunday, giving me a headache, I was doing my massages and then decided to raise my eyebrows to try to stretch it, and I saw movement that I hadnt seen before! I did 25 of these stretches, and sunday night I noticed some crows feet coming back that looked like they came from heaven because it showed the botox was wearing off, and the wrinkles were going UP not down, helping me not to have the 'sad eyes'.
Yesterday morning my eyes wre still frozen looking with a smile, accentuating my bony orbits, smile lines not crossing the bony orbits, very sunken, looking like a skeleton, but today, my smile wrinkles are crossing the orbit lateraly and some of my crows feet are back! Holy Sh$@!!! How could they not tell us this would happen?
Just pathetic on the part of these surgeon's post op care and overall patient care. Absolutley no understandi g of human emaotion, and no empathy. More than that, it has caused me tremendous anxiety that could have easily been avoided. Is this an anti-women thing, male dominance of some kind? I have always heard about the "God- complex" of surgeons, but this is just plain cruel and unnecessary torture. I was fearing that I may never look normal again.
I am cautiously optomistic now.
Still have issues:
My right eye still has laxity causing it to drop slightly on the outside and has an ectropian ( inner lid flipped out) I know because I took some photos where that lower line glistens and reflects the light abnormally, since it should NOT normally be moist mucosa showing.
The right eye still has swelling, although Dr. Patipa told me that the hematoma was gone. The swelling comes and goes, but I have heard many people say that residual will resolve in a few months.
Maybe when the botox wears off completely it will fix some of these issues as well? Who knows?
Anyway, Im glad we at least figured this out! Hope is a good thing to have.
Best of luck to you , and thanks again for writing, it helps to know that we are not alone.
June 30, 2015
You are getting a bad time of it. Doesn't seem fair when you read of some reviews with their remarkable healing power!! It really will improve with time, not much consolation right now I know but good luck!
July 20, 2015
yes thank you for all your help and I am sorry you are facing this...I know I am so excited to be getting my eyelift soon that it is unfathomable how one could be so excited and then have complications...even after we research and research the outcome is not guaranteed...I bet the outcome will be great after all this.....
UPDATED FROM ZenBod
1 month post
Very very nervous- Eyes too round- frozen with smile, etc, etc
Still trying to just chill out but as old problems resolve a little, new problems start- ugh. Scary. Looking a bit like an extra on the walking dead, lol, wish it was actually funny. Makes a big difference if I put on a ton of base make up under my eyes to hide the dark circles.
Hematoma is STILL there, I keep thinking it will go away TOMORROW....
Still hard to tell how that left eye will look when The hematoma is gone.
Right eye still the most worrisome to me as it still has an odd shape being pulled down and laterally. Some days it seems to be getting better. I am doing upwards massage for a few minutes every few hours, but sometimes it just seems to look the same. My eyes are both much rounder than before surgery, i look at my before pictures and want to cry.
I am sad to report that Dr. Kass has been pretty awful as far as making me feel better and giving me guidence and education on what is happening. I am very disappointed in his lack of empathy in this matter. Instead of helping me,He seems to take it as personally that I would suggest anything is wrong. Get over yourself Doc, these are MY Eyes, here, this is NOT about you!
Pretty strange. His staff are very nice but they are telling me how great it looks as if there are no problems, which actually makes me more nervous than if they acknowledged that I am having some issues due to the hematoma etc, but it will turn out great eventually. I am not sure any of the staff ladies are actual nurses or medical people at all, anyway. There is Just a basic lack of acknowledgement that anything is abnormal with my surgery or recovery coming down from the top, since that is the odd stance Dr. Kass seems to take as well.
I am pretty sure I was told that it would be fine in 2 weeks and
I could even travel and see someone in a month for sure (!) so I know it is not normal to take this long to heal. But Now I am hearing things from the Doctor and staff that oh yes, it takes 2 mos, 6 mos, 1 year to heal...Really? I never heard that before surgery! Yes i know that it takes up to a year to COMPLETELY HEAL AND SETTLE, but I was NEVER told that it might take that long for INITIAL healing. What is going on?
Anyway, it is just scary to have your eyes look abnormal to what they looked like before, and I am still hoping it will resolve fine, but since Dr. Kass had previously told me that he has done over 10,000 eye surgeries, so he knew the hematoma would heal, it seems reasonable for me to expect him to know what to tell me is going on with my issues now in SPECIFIC TERMS, , and to tell me what his experience is with these issues. ....and to not just give me a a generic answer to every inquiry, basically that EVERYTHING is due to swelling. ... and make an appt to see me in a month!
My issues:
*Eyes too round, dont look like myself at all
*When I smile. My face looks frozen, and scary, eyes dont move. I look
I am wearing a mask- this makes me really scared. I have no emotion in my face!
*On the sides, my eyelashes are now vertical, so I can no longer get them in a crimper! (Upper lid pulled down too tight?)
*scleral show, lower lid drooping (called retraction) on right eye (I asked, and the Dr. Said he did not do anything to support the lower lid during surgery, he did not elaborate, or tell me why he didnt, of course)
*hematoma still there under left eye, so it is hard to know if the lower lid will droop or not when it is gone or how the shape will be, right now the eye is a bit too big for my liking
* eye sockets very pronounced and hollowed out , skull-like, with dark circles under both eyes. Worse, of course, on the hematoma side, but it makes me nervous that it is on the right side too. Why would i have a depression there if everything is due to "swelling"? And Dr. Kass said "people get fillers for that" - What? I just had a lower bleph and he is saying I can get fillers ? I thought he just told me everything was due to swelling? Am I supposed to need fillers right AFTER getitng a lower bleph? That doesnt sound too positive to me....
* rounded lateral canthus- outer eye is not an acute angle causing a sad eye look
I sent a photo (with makeup on) to a frined of mine a few days ago just to get her opinion, and she is now freaking out! She thinks i look like a Meth addict! What does that tell you - that I look "refreshed" as the staff told me at Dr. Kass' office?
Again, SURE- this may all resolve in another 3 - 4 weeks, I hope to God it does, but on the basis of Dr Kass inability to acknowledge and help me through this annormally long recovery, I dont think I would recommend him to anyone. If I ever have another surgery, I will absolutely ask the surgeon what possible complicarions there are, and exactly how he would handle them if they occur. I would also ask what his rate of complications was. We all want to be so politie, but when it is our faces and surgery , it is NOT the time to be overly concerned with hurting the Dr's feelings by simply asking important questions. If a surgeon is uncomfortable answering those questions, then they will surely be uncomfortable handling any problems, so I would move on down the road. The best surgeon in the world can have complications, so it is something they should all know how to deal with.
Btw, those of you following my review know that I have done everything I can to facilitate a quick recovery., And lI have put my life on HOLD to take it extra easy, no exercise, no traveling, (put a big trip on hold already) no bending, etc, sleeping on my back on the couch and in a recliner for almost 5 weeks! ,thank God I haven' t had to work or I dont know what I would have done. Going back in 2 weeks. I have already had to tell many people about this surgery that I didnt want to tell because it was unavoidable. I wanted it to be a complete secret and even paid one of Dr. kass' staff to pick me up and take me home the day of surgery to avoid letting any friends or neighbors know. ( also feel she charged me an exhorbitant fee for that service which She did not tell about up front, ( I would NOT have done it if she had)so I just figured it wouldn't be too much - wrong. another disappointment.
I decided I need to get a second objective opinion.
Even if another PS can just tell me that they have seen my issues before, and it will resolve in time. Or at least tell me what is going on, so I understand it. I wish I could get that from my PS , but apparently not.
I have an appt Wednesday with an oculoplastic Surgeon who specializes in eye surgery complications, so am looking forward to finding SOMETHING out. Ill let you know how it goes. Ill post some pics, I wish I Could show my whole face because then you can see a lot more how the eyes just dont match my face, its truly sad.
Ok thats my story-Tell me your thoughts, thanks in advance.
Hematoma is STILL there, I keep thinking it will go away TOMORROW....
Still hard to tell how that left eye will look when The hematoma is gone.
Right eye still the most worrisome to me as it still has an odd shape being pulled down and laterally. Some days it seems to be getting better. I am doing upwards massage for a few minutes every few hours, but sometimes it just seems to look the same. My eyes are both much rounder than before surgery, i look at my before pictures and want to cry.
I am sad to report that Dr. Kass has been pretty awful as far as making me feel better and giving me guidence and education on what is happening. I am very disappointed in his lack of empathy in this matter. Instead of helping me,He seems to take it as personally that I would suggest anything is wrong. Get over yourself Doc, these are MY Eyes, here, this is NOT about you!
Pretty strange. His staff are very nice but they are telling me how great it looks as if there are no problems, which actually makes me more nervous than if they acknowledged that I am having some issues due to the hematoma etc, but it will turn out great eventually. I am not sure any of the staff ladies are actual nurses or medical people at all, anyway. There is Just a basic lack of acknowledgement that anything is abnormal with my surgery or recovery coming down from the top, since that is the odd stance Dr. Kass seems to take as well.
I am pretty sure I was told that it would be fine in 2 weeks and
I could even travel and see someone in a month for sure (!) so I know it is not normal to take this long to heal. But Now I am hearing things from the Doctor and staff that oh yes, it takes 2 mos, 6 mos, 1 year to heal...Really? I never heard that before surgery! Yes i know that it takes up to a year to COMPLETELY HEAL AND SETTLE, but I was NEVER told that it might take that long for INITIAL healing. What is going on?
Anyway, it is just scary to have your eyes look abnormal to what they looked like before, and I am still hoping it will resolve fine, but since Dr. Kass had previously told me that he has done over 10,000 eye surgeries, so he knew the hematoma would heal, it seems reasonable for me to expect him to know what to tell me is going on with my issues now in SPECIFIC TERMS, , and to tell me what his experience is with these issues. ....and to not just give me a a generic answer to every inquiry, basically that EVERYTHING is due to swelling. ... and make an appt to see me in a month!
My issues:
*Eyes too round, dont look like myself at all
*When I smile. My face looks frozen, and scary, eyes dont move. I look
I am wearing a mask- this makes me really scared. I have no emotion in my face!
*On the sides, my eyelashes are now vertical, so I can no longer get them in a crimper! (Upper lid pulled down too tight?)
*scleral show, lower lid drooping (called retraction) on right eye (I asked, and the Dr. Said he did not do anything to support the lower lid during surgery, he did not elaborate, or tell me why he didnt, of course)
*hematoma still there under left eye, so it is hard to know if the lower lid will droop or not when it is gone or how the shape will be, right now the eye is a bit too big for my liking
* eye sockets very pronounced and hollowed out , skull-like, with dark circles under both eyes. Worse, of course, on the hematoma side, but it makes me nervous that it is on the right side too. Why would i have a depression there if everything is due to "swelling"? And Dr. Kass said "people get fillers for that" - What? I just had a lower bleph and he is saying I can get fillers ? I thought he just told me everything was due to swelling? Am I supposed to need fillers right AFTER getitng a lower bleph? That doesnt sound too positive to me....
* rounded lateral canthus- outer eye is not an acute angle causing a sad eye look
I sent a photo (with makeup on) to a frined of mine a few days ago just to get her opinion, and she is now freaking out! She thinks i look like a Meth addict! What does that tell you - that I look "refreshed" as the staff told me at Dr. Kass' office?
Again, SURE- this may all resolve in another 3 - 4 weeks, I hope to God it does, but on the basis of Dr Kass inability to acknowledge and help me through this annormally long recovery, I dont think I would recommend him to anyone. If I ever have another surgery, I will absolutely ask the surgeon what possible complicarions there are, and exactly how he would handle them if they occur. I would also ask what his rate of complications was. We all want to be so politie, but when it is our faces and surgery , it is NOT the time to be overly concerned with hurting the Dr's feelings by simply asking important questions. If a surgeon is uncomfortable answering those questions, then they will surely be uncomfortable handling any problems, so I would move on down the road. The best surgeon in the world can have complications, so it is something they should all know how to deal with.
Btw, those of you following my review know that I have done everything I can to facilitate a quick recovery., And lI have put my life on HOLD to take it extra easy, no exercise, no traveling, (put a big trip on hold already) no bending, etc, sleeping on my back on the couch and in a recliner for almost 5 weeks! ,thank God I haven' t had to work or I dont know what I would have done. Going back in 2 weeks. I have already had to tell many people about this surgery that I didnt want to tell because it was unavoidable. I wanted it to be a complete secret and even paid one of Dr. kass' staff to pick me up and take me home the day of surgery to avoid letting any friends or neighbors know. ( also feel she charged me an exhorbitant fee for that service which She did not tell about up front, ( I would NOT have done it if she had)so I just figured it wouldn't be too much - wrong. another disappointment.
I decided I need to get a second objective opinion.
Even if another PS can just tell me that they have seen my issues before, and it will resolve in time. Or at least tell me what is going on, so I understand it. I wish I could get that from my PS , but apparently not.
I have an appt Wednesday with an oculoplastic Surgeon who specializes in eye surgery complications, so am looking forward to finding SOMETHING out. Ill let you know how it goes. Ill post some pics, I wish I Could show my whole face because then you can see a lot more how the eyes just dont match my face, its truly sad.
Ok thats my story-Tell me your thoughts, thanks in advance.
Replies (5)
June 22, 2015
Hi, I just wanted to reach out to you because your story is very similar to mine. I don't want to scare you or be too negative, but I am eight months out of my upper bleph and I still feel the same as I did in the first few weeks after surgery. The concerns I had then (hollow, rounded, sad, ghoulish eyes) are still present 8 months later and it is not swelling and it did not (at least for me) resolve with "time". That is BS!!!!!!!!!!! Don't let them tell you that! I have lost the softness in my face and eyes that I once had. My eyes had always been my best feature and that is the reason I had the surgery, to enhance what I already thought was beautiful. I regret my surgery every day and wish I had all my skin and fat back in my eyes. I have reached out on this site to the doctor's advice column and have an appointment with one Occuloplastic surgeon to see what can be done, but honestly, there is not a lot that they will do to "correct" a surgery. As you are finding out, they will not even acknowledge a bad result. Fillers are what they recommend. Feel free to contact me via a private message if you want to talk. This site is very good for a support system.
June 23, 2015
Hi read the comments above, one was for you, but keeps posting in the wrong place! Thank you for your help, I was helped by the comments on your page! I need to eat more for sure
June 22, 2015
Hi there, I was so hopeful your surgery would be a success. I'm so so sorry the results aren't what you were expecting. I'm curious if you provided photos of yourself (at an age when you felt your eyes were a nice shape) to your PS so s/he could use it during surgery?
I hope someone can help you!! Crossing all my fingers and toes for you. My surgery is scheduled in 3 weeks and I'm kind of wondering if backing out if it would be wise after following your journey.
Your PS needs to be more supportive. How frustrating that he is taking this personally rather than being proactive in handling and alleviating your concerns.
You still look beautiful. Hang in there.
I hope someone can help you!! Crossing all my fingers and toes for you. My surgery is scheduled in 3 weeks and I'm kind of wondering if backing out if it would be wise after following your journey.
Your PS needs to be more supportive. How frustrating that he is taking this personally rather than being proactive in handling and alleviating your concerns.
You still look beautiful. Hang in there.
June 22, 2015
Hi thanks for your comment. My advice would be to definitely interview sevelak surgeons and ask that. The questions I sauggested in my review, as well as discussing what exactly you are looking for and what he will do, exactly. Some doctors are more aggressive with removing skin and fat and I would say to stay away from those unless you have crazy big festoons, and even then, the whole point is to leave enough skin and fat to keep a feminine look intact. Yes, I would have thought they would already know thses things but please dont make the mistake I did, and assume becasue of good reviews and board certification, they are planning to do what you expect. I had ne tioned the lower lid surgery where you go inside the lower lid, called intra- comjuntival incision, and I remember that he repeated the term back to me, so I assumed that is what he would do. He NEVER told me he was alsomgoing to do a trans cutaneous lower lid incision, which has many,any more complications. Seems pretty strange to have not told me when I was specifically asking about the lower lid surgery. Inhave since read that many surgeons will NEVER do that method , especially without any extra support measures, due to the possibility of droopy lower lids post surgery.
If I can help you in any way with a list, please let me know. I am a nurse practitioner and embarrassed that I didnt due proper due dilligence. Inthought i was safe in the hands of a board certified oculoplastic surgeon with 50 plus great reviews,mbut Inshouldnhave asked these questions ansseen a lot of photos of his work. And may e he had a bad day too, but he is too arrogant for me either way.
If I can help you in any way with a list, please let me know. I am a nurse practitioner and embarrassed that I didnt due proper due dilligence. Inthought i was safe in the hands of a board certified oculoplastic surgeon with 50 plus great reviews,mbut Inshouldnhave asked these questions ansseen a lot of photos of his work. And may e he had a bad day too, but he is too arrogant for me either way.
June 22, 2015
I think you are absolutely making the right decision to get another opinion. That is exactly what I would do if I were concerned about my results. It is your face and you deserve to know exactly what is going on. I can see the different eye shape you are talking about in your photos, so you are not just seeing things. But whether it is due to swelling or not is something best addressed by a professional. If it is swelling, then it will be great to hear that from another professional. If it isn't, then at least you will know and you can figure out your options. Hang in there. You will have answers soon either way!
June 22, 2015
I read your posts, wish I could see your photos, but it actually helped me to read all the comments on your page. I think some of the things people said about fighting against the new look are true to a degree, but that doesnt cover everything. And it sure Sounded like a lot of people think you look really pretty, so that was nice to hear.
Like you, I have also lost about 10 lbs and I am thinking that is also contributing to my hollowness, so I am using that as an excuse to go out and buy some amazing cookies, so thank you for that! Lets talk more and maybe you can send me a picture if you dont mind too. I am a proactive person so I am glad I am seeing a real expert on eye complications wednesday morning. very interested in hearing what he says. There is a surgeon that is in LA that seems to do a lot of revisions of cosmetic surgery and always has thoughtful intelligent answers to a lot of questions on real self (think his website was lidlift.com) if you want to check him out, he and others had recommended the Dr. I am seeing this week.
Thanks again for writing, Im sad if you are still unhappy but I think there ARE ways to fix these issues, just need to be proactive and extra smart this time around to find a surgeon that knows exactly what we want and what he can do, and we talk about exactly what he will do BEFORE any cutting. I feel better since reading your comments, so again, thank you very much,
Like you, I have also lost about 10 lbs and I am thinking that is also contributing to my hollowness, so I am using that as an excuse to go out and buy some amazing cookies, so thank you for that! Lets talk more and maybe you can send me a picture if you dont mind too. I am a proactive person so I am glad I am seeing a real expert on eye complications wednesday morning. very interested in hearing what he says. There is a surgeon that is in LA that seems to do a lot of revisions of cosmetic surgery and always has thoughtful intelligent answers to a lot of questions on real self (think his website was lidlift.com) if you want to check him out, he and others had recommended the Dr. I am seeing this week.
Thanks again for writing, Im sad if you are still unhappy but I think there ARE ways to fix these issues, just need to be proactive and extra smart this time around to find a surgeon that knows exactly what we want and what he can do, and we talk about exactly what he will do BEFORE any cutting. I feel better since reading your comments, so again, thank you very much,
June 22, 2015
Hi sorry thank you for your comment, but this reply was meant for another comment
June 23, 2015
I am seeing a real expert down in West Palm Beach, so at least I feel confident that he will have seen my issues before, and can at least advise me onjectively without his ego in the way.
June 22, 2015
une 22, 2015
I read your posts, wish I could see your photos, but it actually helped me to read all the comments on your page. I think some of the things people said about fighting against the new look are true to a degree, but that doesnt cover everything. And it sure Sounded like a lot of people think you look really pretty, so that was nice to hear.
Like you, I have also lost about 10 lbs and I am thinking that is also contributing to my hollowness, so I am using that as an excuse to go out and buy some amazing cookies, so thank you for that! Lets talk more and maybe you can send me a picture if you dont mind too. I am a proactive person so I am glad I am seeing a real expert on eye complications wednesday morning. very interested in hearing what he says. There is a surgeon that is in LA that seems to do a lot of revisions of cosmetic surgery and always has thoughtful intelligent answers to a lot of questions on real self (think his website was lidlift.com) if you want to check him out, he and others had recommended the Dr. I am seeing this week.
Thanks again for writing, Im sad if you are still unhappy but I think there ARE ways to fix these issues, just need to be proactive and extra smart this time around to find a surgeon that knows exactly what we want and what he can do, and we talk about exactly what he will do BEFORE any cutting. I feel better since reading your comments, so again, thank you very much,
I read your posts, wish I could see your photos, but it actually helped me to read all the comments on your page. I think some of the things people said about fighting against the new look are true to a degree, but that doesnt cover everything. And it sure Sounded like a lot of people think you look really pretty, so that was nice to hear.
Like you, I have also lost about 10 lbs and I am thinking that is also contributing to my hollowness, so I am using that as an excuse to go out and buy some amazing cookies, so thank you for that! Lets talk more and maybe you can send me a picture if you dont mind too. I am a proactive person so I am glad I am seeing a real expert on eye complications wednesday morning. very interested in hearing what he says. There is a surgeon that is in LA that seems to do a lot of revisions of cosmetic surgery and always has thoughtful intelligent answers to a lot of questions on real self (think his website was lidlift.com) if you want to check him out, he and others had recommended the Dr. I am seeing this week.
Thanks again for writing, Im sad if you are still unhappy but I think there ARE ways to fix these issues, just need to be proactive and extra smart this time around to find a surgeon that knows exactly what we want and what he can do, and we talk about exactly what he will do BEFORE any cutting. I feel better since reading your comments, so again, thank you very much,
June 23, 2015
Settle down honey I know it's a traumatic experience not sure if you remember me but I've commented on your post before. Just about all of your issues I had myself except for the hematoma I managed to escape that one! I have battled with myself over the new shape of my eyes thinking how strange I look but my husband and everyone else I know has said how great they look and a couple of my girlfriends want to get them done too. I am now nearly 9 weeks out from my surgery I had the op 24th April so quite a bit further along than you. Believe me I had issues as well and shed a lot of tears but I had to just trust my surgeon and WAIT.. as hard as that was because I really had my doubts as one eye was much more rounded, one had a "pinch" where he had suspended my eye muscle and both had swelling below in fact I still have a tiny amount of swelling there but I can live with that. With makeup I absolutely love my eyes although I have to admit it doesn't look like the old me somehow. It takes time I dnt care what anyone says I honestly think 6 months for upper and lower blepharplasty for a full recovery and total result. I hope this makes you feel better.. 1 month really isn't that long and i can laugh about it now when I recall my surgeon telling me that by week 3 I'll be wearing makeup and no one will know I've had surgery!! Hahaha ..
June 23, 2015
Hi thanks that is helpful to know, I think I am totally have a freak out because of the Dr and staff pretending its fine which really makes me so much more nervous. it is actually 5 weeks post op today. I am trying to het 8 hours of sleep and drink a lot of water and eat more, whatever it takes to get my face back.
Yes hahaha to their BS lines! I have some serious stuff that I had to postpone that I may have to postpone again next month too, stuff that could seriously effect my life. That's Another reason I have suddenly gone into panic mode the last few days, becasue I started wondering if it will EVER get better.
Yes hahaha to their BS lines! I have some serious stuff that I had to postpone that I may have to postpone again next month too, stuff that could seriously effect my life. That's Another reason I have suddenly gone into panic mode the last few days, becasue I started wondering if it will EVER get better.
June 24, 2015
I know what you mean I actually asked my PS before I commited to the surgery is I would be fully recovered in 6 weeks as I had a big dinner party planned for our 30th wedding anniversary and then we are set to travel to Europe in a few weeks (so 11 weeks after surgery) and said I would rather wait until September when we got back from holiday if he in anyway thought I would have any chance of complications with either the eye Blephs or the breast lift. I didn't want to put a year of planning these special occasions with my husband into jeopardy as we had been so looking forward to them. Well needless to say, something you don't know yet but I went back I to surgery 4 weeks after my first op to fix my necrotic tissue on the left breast for which I am very grateful though. He wanted to fix it straight away as he wanted me fully healed before I left Australia for my holiday. I was so stressed and concerned about this as I have seen so many cases on this site where the surgeons wait until it heals naturally which can take months before they do a scar revision. I now know that's only because they don't want to go to the trouble and their own expense unless they absolutely have to ( they wait to see if the patient will pursue them for a revision if they cannot bear their ugly scars and have the tenacity to push them for a free revision) where I didn't even a have to push mine.. He was very diligent and caring and probably felt bad that he had assured me I wouldn't have any setbacks. I am glad to report that the breast healed just nicely the second time but could have potentially wrecked or delayed this much looked forward to trip if he hadn't operated straight away. At the same time (during the second op) he released the suture that was securing my orbital muscle on my left eye just slightly as I was not happy with a "pinched" area of swelling I had below my left eye and I subsequently ended up with a very dark little bruise there. I had to wear heavy concealer to cover it for our anniversary dinner but thankfully because I wear my long hair to the side no-one really noticed it!! So I know all about it effecting your life like that and the stress that goes with it as it begins to impact on your day to day life and important things you need to get on with!! I really sympathise with you but I hope and feel pretty confident you will feel much better in another 4-5 weeks and the rounded shape of your eyes revert back to themselves and the scarring softens. I wore makeup yesterday when I went out and I just love the way they look now def feel at least 5 years younger than my almost 51 years! I can see my makeup on my eyelids for once and I don't have that tired look under my eyes that I've seen for the past 5-8 years. Good luck and I hope the eye specialist you are seeing today can put your mind at rest.
June 24, 2015
Thank you so much for taking the time to write. I am trying to patient, I feel like it is slightly better every few days but I am panicking, yes, because in July I now have 3 (!) yes 3 trips that I am supposed to be taking, one for work and 1 a mixture and then oh yes a family vacation woth my mother and father and entire family, lucky me! Hopefully I can make it through. And one of the trips I was supposed to meet a romantic interest I hadnt seen in over 20 years. Now I am not sure I even want to see him, unless this is resolved.
Replies (5)
Some days it looks better and I think something is changing but then the next day its bad again. If I dont get 8 hours sleep , I look like a monster.
Thanks you for writing, all we can do is move forward adn help others avoid this trauma.
Sorry you're having a difficult time. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that fat grafting will be helpful. So awful for anyone to have to go through this.....especially w/all the advances made w/this type of surgery. This shouldn't happen! All the conservative surgeries (skin only or tissue sparing techniques) I've seen on this site are looking great and mostly healed by 2 weeks
like when you cut yourself.