Will Upper Eyelid Surgery Change Shape of the Eyes?

Question

I'm afraid that having upper Eyelid surgery will change the look of my eyes, specifically the shape. For example, I don't want round looking eyes.

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

Dear Tony
What your eyes will look like after eyelid surgery, very much depend on exactly what your doctor does at the time of surgery.  The more the upper eyelid fold is removed, the more "surgical" the eyes will look.  The upper eyelid fold turns out to be a most important facial feature.  
A conservative removal of some of the eyelid fold skin, and tightening of the eyelid platform skin with preservation of the fold and judicious sculpting of eyelid fat is what makes for a great upper eyelid surgery with retention of natural character.  Many doctors have no respect for the upper eyelid fold aesthetics.
My recommendation it that you carefully study the before and after pictures of any surgeon you decide to consult with.  Look at the eyelid folds in models in advertisements and also study your own eyelids when you were younger.  This way you will have a much better idea of what you need.  
When you do have a consultation, make sure your surgeon is listening to you and is able to explain precisely what they plan to do at the time of surgery to minimize surprises.  
If you do not feel that the surgeon is spending enough time, or you are not comfortable with what is being proposed, don't ignore these feelings.  Have consultations with other surgeons until you find some one who makes sense to you.
Dr. Steinsapir

Jeffrey E. Schreiber, MD, FACS · Answer

Eyelid surgery can give fantastic results without changing the shape of your eyes.  It's important to discuss this with your plastic surgeon, as several things that we do may actually change the shape of your eye.  If your plastic surgeon knows that you don't want him/her to possibly alter the shape, then he/she can take steps to minimize this occurance.
Lower eyelid surgery is more prone to alter the shape of your eye because of a step that many plastic surgeons take to miniize the possibility of ectropion, or lower eyelid drooping.  This step is called a canthopexy, and the suture is usually dissolvable so the change in your eyelid shape may only be temporary.  However, with just upper eyelid surgery the possibility of changing the shape of your eye is very low.  I hope this helps!

William Portuese, MD · Answer

The upper eyelid surgery typically does not change the shape of the eyes. The amount of muscle, fat, and skin that is being removed now is much more conservative than it was 10 and 20 years ago. We typically leave more of a full and natural look. It is also important to leave enough skin so that you can close your eyes.

Ricardo Izquierdo, MD (retired) · Answer

The upper eyelid shape should not change with surgery. The goals are to remove excess skin and fat thus "opening" the eye and allowing the upper lid to be more visible and not covered by bulky skin. Roundness of the eye should not result from upper eyelid surgery.

Michael A. Marschall, MD (in memoriam) · Answer

The design of skin removal along the upper eyelid should follow your normal anatomy and lid fold position. If this is undertaken as considered, your lids should not change shape and the "round" look should not be a concern.  The skin excision will provide a fresher, rested look which is optimal after blepharoplasty.
Hope this helps!

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