Will a brow lift alone (without upper bleph) exacerbate dry eye? There is minimal excess skin if I push the brows up manually.

Question

51 yr old fem with very low brows which push excess skin onto my upper eye lids. I often catch myself maintaining a slight upward tension in my brows to open my field of vision. My forehead is high, so I am considering a hairline brow lift. I have dry eye from having LASIK surgery twice, and I use Restasis. I wear one contact, and by evening I need to take it out due to dryness. Will a brow lift worsen my dry eye due to opening the aperture of my eyes and letting more "air" get onto them?

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

A properly performed conservative browlift (modified browlift) with very limited scalp incisions should help immensely and avoid worsening dry eye problems. Any procedure around the eyes can cause short-term worsening of the dry eye due to swelling but most people can tolerate it for 2-3 weeks.

Stephen Weber MD, FACS · Answer

This is a great question but one that cannot be answered based on your description alone. You are correct that anything that interferes with your eye closure can make your dry eye worse. Further, the fact that you require Restasis suggests that this is a fairly significant issue for you. In most cases, a conservative browlift should allow you to close normally and not worsen your dry eye. However, the key is to have a complete examination and find a conservative surgeon who won't be overly aggressive when treating your brow.

John J. Martin, Jr., MD · Answer

I am assuming you have not had an upper lid bleph in the past.  If not, lifting the brow will usually leave enough skin on the upper eyelids for good closure.  For at least the first couple of weeks your brow will be overcorrected due to swelling, and the lids may also be swollen and not close well.  This will make the eye feel very dry.  As the swelling resolves, the brow will settle down to its new height.  If you leave the eyelids alone, you should still have a good blink which is how you lubricate the eyes.  But expect at least a few weeks of increased dryness.

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

A brow lift usually does improve the appearance of the upper eyelids due to the raising effect of the brows.  As long as the brow lift is done while still allowing full eye closure, this should not worsen a dry eye problem.

Andrew Kornstein, MD, FACS · Answer

Q: Have you ever had skin removed from your  upper lids in the past?If no, then your finger browlift should be an accurate indicator.Q: Have you had neurotoxin(eg Botox) that elevated your brows?Any worsening of the dry eye afterwards?Q:On examination, with your brows held in their new(elevated position) do your eyes close completely?Someone else must check this.Q: Finally, are your lower lids in an optimal position?If they are lax or low they can be making the dry eye symptoms worse; correction with fat grafting can make your dry eye better, and therefore the browlift safer.Best of luck

Will a brow lift alone (without upper bleph) exacerbate dry eye? There is minimal excess skin if I push the brows up manually.

Answers (7)

Answer: Will a brow lift alone exacerbate dry eye?

Answer: Will a brow lift alone exacerbate dry eye?

Answer: Will a browlift alone exacerbate dry eye?

Answer: Will a browlift alone exacerbate dry eye?

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Will a brow lift alone (without upper bleph) exacerbate dry eye? There is minimal excess skin if I push the brows up manually.

Answers (7)

Answer: Will a brow lift alone exacerbate dry eye?

Answer: Will a brow lift alone exacerbate dry eye?

Answer: Will a browlift alone exacerbate dry eye?

Answer: Will a browlift alone exacerbate dry eye?

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Everything you need to know about Brow Lift

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