I'd never heard of blepharoplasty until my sister's doctor recommended one to her. As I researched, I thought this might be right for me both functionally (difficulty seeing) and aesthetically (my upper eyelids were obscuring my eyes, giving me an angry/sleepy appearance). I thought it was important to see doctors who were used to Asian cases, so I ended up consulting with doctors in the LA/OC area. I was happy with one doctor in Newport Beach, with one hesitation: she said she "had" to give me a noticeable crease, which I didn't want, as I wanted to maintain the eye shape I was born with. Thankfully, my next visit was with a surgeon in LA, who instantly told me that I had ptosis and needed to see a oculofacial plastic surgeon. What a blessing in disguise – – I googled local surgeons and found Dr. Kyle Cox. Immediately upon meeting, Dr. Cox and her staff, I felt wonderfully at ease. She spent over an hour with me in consultation, diagnosing and explaining what was going on along with a detailed and comforting explanation about the surgery itself. Contrary to what the doctor in LA told me, Dr. Cox confirmed that I do not have ptosis, but rather excess skin/tissue of the upper eyes, making me an excellent candidate for an upper bleph. She performed vision tests, which none of the other surgeons had done, which her office submitted to my insurance company, and allowed them to ultimately cover my surgery (because my vision was obstructed so much by the excess skin). The procedure itself was completely painless and fast. I chose to take 3 mg of lorazepam for the procedure, which made it completely easy and forgettable for me. The recovery was relatively easy – – ice for 15 minutes every hour that you ate awake for two days, then various levels of rest for 7 to 10 days. I spent the first three nights at a hotel, so that my three year-old son wouldn't harm my healing process. Honestly, the worst part of the healing process was the itching. Thankfully, I discovered antihistamine eyedrops, which helped tremendously! Once the stitches were out, on day seven, the itching disappeared! I am 9 days out and completely delighted. I started going out in public on day four and, at this point, I don't think anyone can even notice that I've done anything. My vision is dramatically improved – – it took me a moment to adjust to the additional stimulus of increased vision, lol, but wow, the world is brighter and more vivid than I imagined! And, aesthetically, I could not be happier. Dr. Cox specifically made sure to make her incisions where my natural crease was and to follow the natural contours of my eyes. My eyes look exactly how I wanted them to: me but more awake. I could not be happier with the surgery or Dr. Cox and her team! Updated on 17 Jan 2024: I continue to be thrilled with my vision and results! 1. The first time I saw my own beautiful brown pupils in the mirror , I cried. There’s just something human about being able to see your own eyes in the mirror. 2. And, despite my fear of looking less Asian, my Korean relatives say that I look *more* Korean post-surgery! 3. I noticed that I could actually drive without my glasses! It’s been 20 years of glasses, and I am shocked at how clearly I can see now!
