Does ectropion ever correct itself after lower eyelid surgery? (Photo)

Question

Hi, I got an upper and lower blepharoplasty in November, and I noticed one of my lower eyelids is visibly more droopy than the other. I asked the surgeon if this was in fact ectopic or retracted, and he said no.When I open my mouth wide, the left lower eyelid completely retracts from my eye. My eye has also gotten sensitive to air and my eyesight in that eye has gotten worse.

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

Your surgeon is either ignorant or intentionally denying the situation. Neither is helpful. This will not fix itself. In my opinion, the aesthetic result is unacceptable. As you have noticed, this type of retraction also causes chronic corneal exposure and dry eye. This is unfortunately a complex issue. It is not fixed with a quick stitch. I am attaching a graphic video that details how these are successfully repaired. I developed the definitive repair for post blepharoplasty lower eyelid retraction. You have waited long enough. You are ready to have this corrected. There is no substitute for a detailed in person consultation. Be wary of half surgical methods. They do not fix the issue and do use up resources needed for a definitive repair.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

When it comes to lower eyelid blepharoplasty surgery, the textbook has been incorrect for decades.
Personally, I never remove skin or obicularis muscle from the lower eyelid.
Doing so will inevitably increase the chance of getting an ectropion now or prematurely in the future. 
I’m not sure what the background was of your provider but at this point, I think you should get a second opinion by highly experienced oculoplastic surgeons in your community.
During each consultation, ask each provider to open up their portfolio and show you their entire collection of before, and after pictures of previous patients who had similar characteristics to your own.
You need to be very careful in how you vet providers.
Plan on having three or four consultations before selecting a provider.
Once the skin and or muscle has been removed, the problem is only gaining to get worse with time. 
It’s really important that any revision surgery be done by somebody who is really mastered this kind of work.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD

Does ectropion ever correct itself after lower eyelid surgery? (Photo)

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Does ectropion ever correct itself after lower eyelid surgery? (Photo)

Answers (2)

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Everything you need to know about Eyelid Surgery

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.