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Eyelid Surgery

Eyelid surgery, otherwise known as blepharoplasty, typically removes excess muscle, skin and fat on either the upper or lower eyelid. The surgery helps to repair drooping eyelids, sagging eyebrows, or bags under your eyes. Then, Dr. Kouli stitches (sutures) the skin margins back together

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Before and After Photos

Candidate

Patients that choose to have a Blepharoplasty procedure have the following characteristics:

  • Bags under the eyes
  • Drooping eyelids
  • Vision problems associated with puffy eyelids

Purpose

Sagging skin around your eyes doesn’t just make you look older; severely drooping skin can also affect your peripheral vision due to excess skin blocking parts of your vision field. Upper and lower lid blepharoplasty can eliminate these potential vision problems while also making your eyes appear more youthful and awake.

Ideal Candidate

Eyelid surgery may be a good option for you if you have:

  • Baggy or drooping skin on your upper eyelids
  • Excess skin that interferes with your vision
  • Too much skin on your lower eyelid
  • Large bags under your eyes

If you are seriously suffering from issues with drooping upper eyelids, and your vision is being affected, it is possible that your blepharoplasty may be covered by your insurance. If you are undergoing eyelid surgery for purely cosmetic reasons, then it is often not covered by insurance. We encourage you to contact your insurance provider to learn more after contacting Esthetica of San Diego for your consultation.

Consultation

As with any surgery, you will meet with your surgeon at Esthetica of San Diego in order to discuss the following information:

  • Your full medical history, including past surgeries and any eye conditions you may suffer from.
  • Your desired outcome for the surgery.
  • An eye examination and a physical examination.
  • Make arrangements for a friend or family member to drive you home after surgery and stay with you for a day or two to assist you.
  • Photographs of your eyes may also be taken in order to assess the best course of action for your eyelid surgery and to assess both immediate and long-term results of your procedure.

Options

Eyelid surgery may be a good option for you if you have:

  • Upper eyelid surgery: This procedure corrects folds of sagging skin on the upper lids by carefully removing excess skin to recreate a youthful, open – but very natural look.
  • Lower eyelid surgery: This surgery reduces the appearance of bags beneath your eyes or corrects the sagging appearance of the lower lids, with incisions typically placed within the lid.

Expectations

Eyelid surgeries are typically done in an outpatient setting and are extremely low-risk. During the procedure:

  • Your surgeon administers a numbing medication into your eyelids, and will also likely give you an intravenous medication to help your muscles relax.
  • If you opt for blepharoplasty on both your upper and lower eyelids, your surgeon generally works on your upper lids first.
  • Your surgeon will first cut along the fold of the eyelid, removing the excess skin, muscle (and possibly fat) before closing the incision .
  • Moving onto the lower lid, your surgeon makes a second small incision right below your lashes or inside the lower lid, and then does the same procedure.
  • In some cases, surgeons also include a procedure called ptosis on eyelids that droop too close to the pupil, giving your eyebrow muscle added support.

Risks

When you work with an experienced San Diego plastic surgeon, complications are very rare. However, even the best cosmetic surgery procedure is not without risk. Your surgeon will discuss these with you at your consultation.

After Surgery

As with any surgery, you will be monitored after your blepharoplasty in order to ensure there are no complications. In general, you can plan to go home the same day as your eyelid surgery in order to recover at home. We like to tell all our clients to please expect:

  • Temporarily blurred vision (from the lubricating ointment).
  • Watery eyes.
  • Sensitivity to light.
  • Some numbness in the eyelids.
  • Puffiness sometimes occurs.
  • Swelling and bruising, with some discomfort (akin to a black eye) also often occur.

You will be able to manage any pain you experience with ice packs, cool compresses, Tylenol, and some prescribed ointments or eye drops as needed. Your surgeon will give you a detailed post-surgery plan that you will need to follow closely in order to ensure you heal properly, and quickly.

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Reviews

The office and procedure room were immaculate. Dr.Kouli and staff checked up on me often post.

Jennifer

I had an incredible experience at esthetica. Dr. Kouli is both personable and professional. Everyone in the office is friendly and aim to make you feel as comfortable as possible. I’d highly recommend their services.

Paige

I would recommend this office to anyone seeking a procedure. They answered any and all of my questions immediately. No matter how big or small.

Shellee

Dr. Kouli is the best!, best surgeon, best bedside manner, best follow up… just the best

Laura

I can’t say enough about dr. Kouli. He looked a my problem which was pretty bad and immediately knew that he could fix it.

Shellee