Eyelid surgery – what does this procedure involve?

The skin on the eyelids is extremely delicate and has only a small amount of subcutaneous tissue. These aspects make it lose firmness and elasticity more easily compared to skin located in other areas of the face. The development of the so-called drooping eyelid is most often directly related to the ageing process, although this condition can also affect patients aged 20–30, and sometimes even children. In such cases, it is usually associated with a genetic predisposition to the condition, which, in simple terms, involves the accumulation of excess skin tissue on the upper eyelid. Due to the limitation of the field of vision, this condition is often classified not only as an aesthetic concern, but above all as an anatomical disorder that may pose a threat to eyesight.

Drooping eyelids may affect either one eye or both eyes. This condition is often diagnosed during a standard ophthalmological examination or by an aesthetic medicine doctor if the patient attends a consultation to explore options for correcting the appearance of the eyelid. Regardless of whether excess skin above the eye is only an aesthetic concern or threatens proper vision, in both cases it is worth considering eyelid surgery.

Eyelid surgery, also known as blepharoplasty, blepharoplasty surgery, or an eyelid lift, involves the surgical removal of excess skin and subcutaneous tissue from the upper eyelid. The main goals of the procedure are to expand the field of vision, eliminate an unaesthetic skin fold on the upper eyelid, provide long-lasting rejuvenation of the eye area, improve eyelid symmetry, remove ptosis (drooping eyelid), and, in specific cases, correct defects of the orbicularis oculi muscle or herniation. Eyelid surgery can be performed in both women and men after prior consultation and patient qualification by an aesthetic medicine doctor or ophthalmologist. At this stage, a detailed medical interview is conducted regarding the patient’s health condition, and blood tests are also performed to rule out any possible contraindications.

Surgical eyelid correction is performed under local anaesthesia, and the procedure itself takes around 90 minutes, depending on its scope. During the procedure, the patient remains conscious throughout, and after the surgery is completed, they can leave the clinic and return home. It is recommended that the patient avoid intensive activities and physical exercise for several days. The technique used to perform blepharoplasty at the INVICTA Anti-Aging Clinic involves making incisions with a specialised device — Loktal — or a scalpel along the natural creases of the skin on the upper eyelid, which makes the scars virtually invisible. The procedure ends with the application of fine sutures, which are removed after about 7 days. A significant improvement in the appearance of the eye area is visible on the day of the eyelid surgery, while the final results usually take around 2 months to appear. It should be added that blepharoplasty at our Clinic is performed by a specialised medical team for whom a natural-looking result is the standard.

Vision is one of the most important human senses, which is why it is worth taking care of it in every available way. The eye area, on the other hand, is a strategic region when it comes to maintaining a youthful and fresh appearance of the entire face. Taking these aspects into account, undergoing eyelid surgery, if there are indications for it, may prove to be one of the best investments in both the patient’s health and appearance. Properly performed blepharoplasty offers a wide range of benefits, including:

• a long-lasting and impressive “open eye” effect achieved with a single, minimally invasive surgical procedure,
• very fast aesthetic results in terms of rejuvenating the appearance and making the eyes look more defined,
• a procedure that does not require a significant amount of the patient’s time, as they can return to everyday, although non-intensive, activities immediately after the surgery,
• restoration of the patient’s full field of vision,
• prevention of the possible progression of vision defects,
• procedure comfort thanks to individually selected anaesthesia and professional care from a team of specialists,
• results that are significantly longer-lasting than those achieved with other methods, such as threads, massages, or laser therapy.

Drooping eyelids are a fairly common condition affecting people of all ages. This is why surgical eyelid correction — both lower and upper eyelid surgery — ranks among the top five most popular facial plastic surgery procedures in nearly 24 countries around the world. This information is confirmed, among others, by annual reports published by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). These reports also show that the number of patients undergoing blepharoplasty for both medical and aesthetic reasons continues to grow year after year. For example, in 2015, 1,265,000 blepharoplasty procedures were performed worldwide, while just one year later this number reached 1,350,000 procedures, representing a year-on-year increase of as much as 7%.

Where does the popularity of surgical eyelid correction come from? Above all, it is due to the benefits mentioned above, such as a dramatic improvement in the definition of the eyes and the eye area, which are among the most important facial features influencing overall facial expression. Depending on individual predispositions, the results of blepharoplasty may last from 10 to even 20 years after the procedure. The effectiveness and longevity of the results are certainly among the most important arguments contributing to the popularity of surgical eyelid lifting. In this context, the health-related aspects should also not be overlooked, as they are crucial for preventing vision defects or slowing the progression of existing ones.

Given the nature of this procedure, which requires a specialist ophthalmological consultation, qualification for surgery, and performance by a plastic surgeon, choosing a professional clinic where it will be carried out is extremely important. The place where the patient decides to undergo blepharoplasty should meet a number of requirements that ensure the highest standard of procedure performance, safety, and natural-looking surgical results. The most important features of a professional clinic performing surgical eyelid correction include:

• the procedure must be performed using modern, certified devices and with the highest standards of sterility,
• the procedure technique should include blood vessel sealing to minimise bleeding and, as a result, ensure a natural surgical outcome with no visible scars,
• a medical team that provides patient comfort during the procedure as well as post-operative care,
• the procedure time to the patient’s needs and availability.

With the goal of achieving impressive and long-lasting results from surgical eyelid correction, and with your own health and safety in mind, it is worth checking whether the clinic meets all the above conditions before making your choice.