Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) is a procedure to remove fat and excess skin and muscle from the upper and lower eyelids.

Cosmetic Blepharoplasty

Your eyes are the focus of your face. They are often the first things people notice about your face and are important aspect of facial attractiveness. The eyelids protect one’s eyes in addition to adding to their cosmetic appearance. Unfortunately, over time your upper and/or lower eyelids may become “droopy” or “baggy” because the eyelid skin stretches, muscles weaken, and fat pockets bulge and become more prominent. This most commonly occurs because of the aging process but also may be a hereditary condition that runs in your family.

Your eyebrows also may sag or droop as a part of the same process. Cosmetically, such conditions may detract from the overall attractiveness of one’s eyes and cause a “tired” or older appearance. When severe, these conditions also may cause functional problems, such as impaired field of vision (baggy upper eyelids) or difficulty wearing glasses (baggy lower eyelids). Eyelid surgery to improve the appearance of the eyelids is termed blepharoplasty.

Blepharoplasty surgery is usually an outpatient procedure performed under local anesthesia with sedation, if desired. The goal of this eyelid surgery is to reduce the “baggy” or sagging tissues, which may include skin, muscle, and fat pockets. During surgery, incisions are made in the natural folds of the eyelid (in the crease of the upper eyelid and just beneath the lashes or behind the lower eyelid) so that they are virtually unnoticeable after the tissues have healed. In cases where the eyebrows are also droopy, a procedure to elevate the eyebrows may be appropriate. This procedure is known as a brow lift.

Oculoplastic surgeons commonly perform cosmetic eyelid and eyebrow surgery.  Blepharoplasty is usually considered to be cosmetic surgery. However, if drooping eyelids impact or impair your vision, it may be medically necessary to address the problem. In this case, the surgery may be covered by insurance as a reconstructive procedure.