Is Lateral Canthoplasty Dangerous?

For a humble facial cosmetic surgeon, there is no easy surgery and canthoplasty is no exception. Many issues can arise including lack of improvement, asymmetries, scaring and dissatisfaction from your end. Discuss all of your questions with your eyelid surgeon before undergoing canthoplasty.

Unfortunately this procedure has become popular even among surgeons who have relatively little training in perform this procedure.  To state it another way: the procedure is a disaster in the hands of inexperienced surgeons.  When I say inexperienced, I mean inexperienced with canthal surgery.  For this reason there was a proliferation of procedures that attempted to provide the benefits of a cathoplasty without actually cutting the lateral canthal angle.  This includes procedures such as canthopexy, coronocanthopexy, etc.  I see two of three new consults a week for individuals who need a repair of a canthal procedure performed by well meaning surgeons from various specialities.  Here is the key: canthal surgery does not really have the power to reshape the eyes.  It should be reserved for individuals whose lateral canthal angle and disinserted or is lax for various reasons.  Using it to make an "almond" reveals a fundamental ignorance regarding the power of canthal surgery.  Generally canthal surgery is a reconstructive procedure not an aesthetic procedure.  Understanding this difference is critical.

one of the first things to understand is that you want to see a surgeon who is experienced in reconstructive procedures of the eyelid as a significant part of their practice.  Cathoplasty and canthopexy is often offered by surgeons who rarely perform it in for the wrong reasons. The lateral canthus though small in size and depth is anatomically complex. Another thing to understand that's very important is that this procedure doesn't really reshape the eyes. It is a reconstructive maneuver that is most appropriately used to improve function of the eyelids and the lower eyelid in particular. Any change in shape of the eyes can be short-lived particularly in young healthy people trying to make a cosmetic change in the appearance of their eyes shape. In our older patients or patients with scarring from surgery, age-related issues, or injury the appearance of the eye does change but most importantly the function improves.

Unfortunately this is a surgical technique that is often used for the purposes that you're asking for but the results can be underwhelming and in some cases very poor when performed by an experienced surgeons delivering this technique for the wrong reasons.

You definitely want to stick with a seasoned Oculoplastic surgeon or Facial Plastic Surgeon with extensive experience in this procedure and with plenty of photo evidence of actually having performed it in the past.

Best of luck

Chase Lay, MD

The lateral canthus is a very complex and unforgiving structure.

Lateral Canthoplasty is not Dangerous but it is very easy to get it wrong. Seek a Surgeon who is experienced in this area.

 

You will want to find a surgeon highly experienced in eyelid and specifically canthal surgery. Canthoplasty is not dangerous. However, there is a risk of over or undercorrection or potentially asymmetry between the two corrected sides. You can minimize this risk by consulting with surgeons experienced in this type of surgery. I hope this information is helpful.

Stephen Weber MD, FACS   Weber Facial Plastic Surgery