The eyes and their exposure have a significant importance to a person's beauty and personal charisma. With ageing the elasticity and stability of the soft tissues and skin diminishes and the skin appears loose and wrinkled. Some individual properties and personal habits such as smoking and extensive sun exposure can accelerate this ageing. The lowering of the eyebrows by age render a hooding to the upper eyelids. The attenuation of the connective tissues and the orbital muscle makes the orbital fat protrude like bags. Principally the aim of the operation is to stretch the skin and to remove bags. The skin does not regain its elasticity and the operation neither accelerates nor prevents continued ageing. The longevity of the operation can never be estimated. A timid look will disappear.

Technique:

On the lower eyelids the incision goes just below the eyelashes extending into a natural wrinkle at the sides for a short distance. Depending on the deformity, either the skin alone or the skin and muscle are elevated and shortened. In cases of fatty components, these are either repositioned or removed. On the upper eyelids the estimated excess is marked and removed correspondingly. Fatty components are removed if necessary and the wound is closed leaving a tiny, almost invisible scar in the reconstructed globus line extending out over the orbital rim depending of the looseness at the sides of the eyes.
If an eyebrow-lift is needed, the procedure is decsribed here.
Sometimes it is more suitable to do a lower eyelid correction with invisible scars by altering the fatty component only from the inside of the eyelids combined with a light peeling of the skin.

Anaesthetic:

Conscious sedation and local anaesthetic.

Operating time:

1 - 2 hours.

You can expect:

• When the anaesthetic subsides, a short intensive pain can be felt for about 1/2 hour. After that there is no pain.
• Icebags can be used to lessen swelling and blue bruises. You should use the icebags 2-3 times a day, for around half an hour at the time and continue to do so for the first 2-3 days.
• The eyes will swell up the first two days and will reach its maximum on the 2nd or 3rd day. It subsides gradually during 7-10 days. Bruises can take a little longer to disappear.
• To accelerate the absorption of the swelling, you should sleep on the back with an elevated head (2-3 pillows) for 14 days.
• The first stitches are removed after 3-5 days
• You can start using makeup within 10 days
• You can return to normal social activities after 10 days
• You can return to physical training after 3-4 weeks
• You have to call in sick for 7-10 days
• You should not expose the face to the sun for at least 4-6 weeks
• The scars should not be exposed to direct sun for at least 6 months. Use high solfactor or heavy makeup
• The eye area can feel numb for 1-2 months. Will generally disappear spontaniously

Complications
Referred unwanted biologic events can occur with a certain low frequency and must be regarded as calculated risks. Other risks not mentioned can also occur. For patients this must be considered before a decision for plastic surgery is set.

Bleeding: All operations can cause postoperative bleeding. These risks increase by the intake of analgesics and Vitamin E. These should be avoided 2 weeks prior to the planned operation.

Infection: All operations can cause infections that in case it happens will be treated with antibiotics.

Smoking: Smoking does compromise bloodcirculation and healing. Smoking should be abandoned prior to a planned operation.