Could Fat Grafting Under Eyes Help Dry Eye Symptoms?

Question

I have sunken, hollowed our areas under eye areas due to prior fat pad removal in a surgery performed in 2004. I also have dry eyes. Would fat grafting be beneficial? Any Dr. recommendations would be appreciated.

A.J. Amadi, MD · Answer

Our study [soon to be published] on the effect on the fat grafting on the lower eyelid  indicates, that a mild improvement occurs in the eyelid position: the lower eyelid is raised by about 0.5 mm on average across all patients [some more than others obviously].

	Lower lid retraction repair [raising the lower eyelid] does in fact improve dry eye symptoms, however it is uncertain that the modest improvement in eyelid position was enough to impact symptoms. This was not looked at in our study and will be addressed in a future one.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Fat grafting to this area can improve the appearance, but significant improvement in dry eye symptoms would not be expected.  Find a plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs hundreds of liposuction and fat transfer procedures each year.  Then look at the plastic surgeon's website before and after photo galleries to get a sense of who can deliver the results.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA
	
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Mehryar (Ray) Taban, MD, FACS · Answer

Fat grafting/transfer is great for the face, in the areas where the skin is thick enough to cover the grafted fat. The lower lids can be partially improved with fat grafting; fine fillers are another option for this thin skin area. Fat grafting is great for upper eyelids/brows and the rest of the face.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Dry eyes may be due to many different things. If the dry eyes are due to over-resection of fat underneath the eyelids, then fat grafting may help. I have performed fat grafting for correction of undereye ectropion. Raffy Karamanoukian Los Angeles

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

Fat transfer may improve the sunken appearance around your eyes, but will not treat dry eyes. Dry eyes may be caused by a variety of things, but should first be evaluated by your eye doctor.

Mary Lee Peters, MD (retired) · Answer

Dry Eye Syndrome is the result of decreased tear production. Drying increases with aging and can be very irritating. Sometimes dry eyes get worse after a blepheroplasty because the more open eyelid allows greater evaporation of tears. Plugging the tear duct often is done to keep more tears bathing the eye. Surgery to the lids (blepheroplasty) is unlikely to improve dry eye syndrome unless there is a significant abnormality of lid position. Fat grafting should have no beneficial affect.

Could Fat Grafting Under Eyes Help Dry Eye Symptoms?

Answers (6)

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