Best alternative to blepharoplasty for dry eyes?

Question

I have extremely dry and eyes and also uncomfortably sagging lids, particularly on the left side where my brow is lower. I was told by my eye doctor that I am not a good candidate for a bleph because it will likely increase dryness. What is my best and least invasive alternative? A brow lift might be problematic with my hairline.

Caner Kacmaz, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. Without seeing your pictures it's not easy to give you the proper answer but generally speaking, after blepharoplasty surgery patients do experience dry eyes. This is due to less blinking and it is temporary. In patients suffering from chronic dry eyes, eyelid surgery can make the condition worse. After about 2-3 months, the temporary dry eyes caused by blepharoplasty should be mostly subsided and your eyes should go back to normal.

Christopher C. Lo, MD · Answer

Dry eye is a common risk of any surgery around the eyelids or brows. Before moving forward with any treatments, it may be best to pursue different options to help manage and treat your dry eye. In addition to OTC lubricants (eye drops, gels, ointments), there are topical medications, punctal plugs, fish oil, humidifiers, IPL, etc. that may be a good for you based on your particular type of dry eye. I would recommend following up with your ophthalmologist to discuss these options! Be well.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

You may have some conservative improvement with Botox which can provide a bit of a brow lift.  You can also explore different types of brow lift incisions to see if any would be better for your hair line.  You may also consider procedures such as AccuTite to help tighten the skin.

David M. Kowalczyk, MD, MBA, FACS · Answer

Hello Jane! Great questions and certainly a challenging situation. Botox can work to a degree, but perhaps you've already tried this. I would advise against threading as the results can be irregular and short-lived. There are a variety of brow lifts techniques which can be adjusted for the hairline. And, this type of procedure would likely not affect the dryness of your eyes. I would visit with a facial plastic surgeon to see what may be the best option. Hope that helps!

Best alternative to blepharoplasty for dry eyes?

Answers (4)

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