The upper and lower eyelids help protect the eye in numerous ways. When you blink, your eyelids spread moisture over your eyes.
Blinking also helps move dirt or other particles off the surface of the eye. You reflexively close your eyelids when something might get in them, protecting your eyes from injury. Like other parts of your body, your eyelids sometimes need medical attention. Blepharoplasty, ptosis repair, and skin cancer removal are the most common eyelid repairs performed at Siskiyou Eye Center.
Blepharoplasty
As we age, the skin around the eyes may become stretched and sag down, sometimes blocking vision. This skin can be removed with an outpatient procedure called blepharoplasty. During this surgery, excess skin and sometimes fatty tissue is removed to enhance function and often appearance.
You may need blepharoplasty if you have the following:
- Loose or sagging skin creates folds, sometimes impairing vision
- Excess fatty deposits cause eyelids to appear puffy
- Bags develop under the eyes
- Drooping lower eyelids reveal white below the iris
- Excess skin and fine wrinkles from in the lower eyelid
Ptosis Repair
The upper eyelid may droop, usually due to a stretching or separation of the muscle that raises the lid from the eyelid itself. This is called ptosis and can reduce vision and cause a tired appearance. Ptosis repair involves reconnecting or tightening the muscle to elevate the eyelid.
Skin Cancer
The delicate skin of the eyelids are susceptible to sun damage and resulting skin cancers. It is important to identify and remove these lesions at the earliest possible stage. Suspicious lesions can be biopsied in the office and skin cancers can be removed in surgery under microscopic control to optimize the goal of total excision. After the lesions are removed, your eyelid is carefully reconstructed.
Loose lower eyelid
The lower eyelid can become loose with age, leading to less contact with the eye. This can cause eye exposure, dryness and tearing down the cheek. In addition, a loose lower eyelid can allow the eyelashes to turn in and rub on the surface of the eye, which can be bothersome and create an abrasion or infection if left untreated. Several different procedures can be performed to tighten the lower eyelid and correct these problems.