According to the 2020 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report, the number of eyelid surgery (also known as blepharoplasty) cases amounted to 325,112 in the United States, making it one of the top most common plastic surgery procedures. While many people seek cosmetic eyelid surgery for aesthetic reasons, a lot of people require eyelid surgery for non-cosmetic reasons as well.
What is medically-necessary eyelid surgery?
Medically-necessary eyelid surgery is the procedure that an individual must undergo to improve eye health and vision or correct issues that can significantly increase the risk of infections or other eye problems.
So, even if you are not considering eyelid surgery to enhance your appearance, you might still need eyelid surgery for the following non-cosmetic reasons.
1. Relieve facial pain and headaches
When your eyelids are perfectly normal, you don’t even realize their existence. However, when they start sagging or drooping, they can also start rubbing together, causing irritation in the skin and your eyes. Many people with sagging lids have to strain their forehead muscles a lot to have a clear and unobstructed vision. As a result, they suffer from frequent or continuous facial pain and headaches. An eyelid surgery procedure can help relieve facial pain and headaches and prevent them from occurring again as well.
2. Increase the peripheral vision
As people age, it is common to have sagging or drooping eyelids. However, for many people, excess sagging and drooping can block peripheral vision. The loss of peripheral vision can mean that the affected person cannot see objects or people until they are right in front of them. Thus, in this case, eyelid surgery might be necessary to prevent falls and accidents.
3. Treat the problem of ptosis
Ptosis is an eye condition where the sagging caused by severely drooping eyelids interferes with the normal field of vision. Ptosis can occur due to the weakening of muscles from aging or some injury. It can also be caused by a tumor or another medical condition. Thus, it is necessary to consult an eye doctor and learn whether you need eyelid surgery to treat this serious problem.
Are medically-necessary eyelid surgery and cosmetic eyelid surgery the same?
The procedure of each eyelid surgery can vary depending on the eyelids’ conditions and the cosmetic goals of the patient. However, each type of surgery typically involves incisions in the natural fold (on the upper lids). To ensure a painless procedure, you will be given local anesthesia. Then, prolapsed fat and excess skin are removed from the upper lids to decrease the sagginess and drooping. Finally, the operated eyelid skin is closed with stitches. Once the surgery completes, plastic surgeons generally recommend placing ice packs wrapped in cloth over the eyes. After the observation period, the patient can go home.
Since the effect of local anesthesia will remain for a longer time, it will be several hours after completion of surgery before you will start feeling any soreness. You will be given before- and after-surgery care instructions to ensure proper healing and recovery.
Do you have drooping or sagging eyelids? Consult an acclaimed certified plastic surgeon in your area to see whether you need eyelid surgery or not.
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