I’m Unhappy With My Eye Shape – What Can I Do?

Like ear surgery (which we discussed in a recent post), eyelid surgery is highly underrated as a cosmetic procedure. Eyelids, and the area around your eyes in general, can be a disaster zone for ageing. An otherwise youthful face can seem much older due to wrinkles, bloated eyelids, or dark circles under the eyes. Eyelid surgery, known formally as blepharoplasty, aims to correct these problems.

So if you’re unhappy with your eye shape, read on to find out whether blepharoplasty might be right for you.

Note: If you’re in the Houston area – or willing to travel – Dr. Michel Siegel can help you get the eyelids you’ve always wanted.

Types of Eyelid Surgery

Broadly speaking, blepharoplasty can be divided into three categories: lower eyelid surgery, upper eyelid surgery, and combination surgery.

• Lower Eyelid Surgery: Lower blepharoplasty is designed to tackle the dark circles and sagging skin that can plague many of us as we grow older. Although these problems are sometimes influenced by diet or lack of sleep, certain people suffer from chronic puffiness that won’t go away on its own. Fine wrinkles beneath the eyelids are another common complaint that can be fixed with this procedure.Lower eyelid surgery leaves patients looking more youthful and alert, and for that reason it’s especially favored by people in careers where an appearance of competence is important.
• Upper Eyelid Surgery: Our upper eyelids are just as prone to age-related damage as our lower ones. The most common reasons for upper eyelid surgery are excess skin folds that hang down above the eyes, or a general puffy appearance. Some patients – particularly those of East Asian descent – are concerned about an absence of defined upper eyelid creases. Fortunately, upper blepharoplasty can help to resolve all of these concerns.
• Combination SurgeryQuite often, patients suffer from age-related issues that affect both their upper and lower eyelids. In these cases, plastic surgeons will often recommend a combination blepharoplasty in order to achieve the best possible results.

All of these eyelift surgeries take about one to two hours and have a recovery time of around one week. Results tend to last for about eight years.

What About Changing My Actual Eye Shape?

If you’re not concerned so much about age-related deterioration, but want to change your eye shape itself, the good news is that this is sometimes possible. Many people believe that “almond eyes” represent the ideal shape. In almond eyes, no sclera (whiteness) is visible between the lower eyelid and the lower part of the iris. People who do have white sclera showing below the iris often have a sad appearance – even when they’re not feeling sad. In these cases, the lower eyelid can sometimes be surgically altered to give a more cheerful almondlike appearance.

This is a very complex procedure, and it’s not suitable for everyone. It’s important to discuss your wishes with an experienced plastic surgeon so you can get an idea of what is and isn’t possible in your unique case.

Dr. Siegel is a facial plastic surgeon in Houston. To find out more about the different types of eye surgery, contact him today.