Peak in the right upper lid after ptosis repair on both eyes. Left looks good, only day 10 but really worried, what should I do?

Question

I had a double upper blepharoplasty and ptosis repair on both eyes done at the same time 10 days ago. I have a peak in the middle of right eye. My eyes look so uneven, and very worried! I talked to the surgeon and he wants to wait for 1 month to give the swelling more time to settle, he does not recommend revision for 3 months. I know it's only day 10 but why does one eye heals so much faster and the other does not? I have to wear tinted glasses all the time now to disguise my appearance!

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

Anterior levator ptosis surgery is very unforgiving.  To be fair, there are some eyelids where it seems that there is no one point to place the suture to make the eyelid contour smooth.  Those are rare and the answer can be the placement of two ptosis suspension sutures.  This work is fussy and takes time.  Some surgeons alot only some much time to fuss with the contour or perhaps they are satisfied with some degree of contour irregularity.  A photograph would be helpful to better understand your eyelid.  At 10 days, the eyelid could be taken apart and the contour reset.  It is possible that your surgoen was very satisfied with the contour of the eyelid during surgery.  After surgery, the eyelid can swell contributing to the appearance of peaking. Under those circumstances, it is reasonable for surgeons to want to wait it out. Generally if the peaking does not resolve, surgical revision can be performed as early as 6 months after the original surgery. In 2-3 months if your issue has persisted, it is reasonable to seek second opinions regarding the eyelid.

Charles S. Lee, MD, FACS · Answer

It may be a problem with the original placement of sutures, or it could be subsequent to swelling. I take photos at the end of my procedure to distinguish between these two problems. I do not stop my operation until it looks close to perfect on the table, because I know I will have to do a revision down the road (things never look better than at  the end of the case). Frequently it's a matter of what type of practice your surgeon has - a high volume/ low price practice can't spend unlimited amounts time per patient.

Peak in the right upper lid after ptosis repair on both eyes. Left looks good, only day 10 but really worried, what should I do?

Answers (2)

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Everything you need to know about Ptosis Surgery

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Peak in the right upper lid after ptosis repair on both eyes. Left looks good, only day 10 but really worried, what should I do?

Answers (2)

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Ptosis Surgery

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