Your eyes, essential for providing vision, also play a role in establishing your identity. Others recognize you by the appearance of your face, of which your eyes are the centerpiece. Even the pattern of blood vessels within your eye is as unique as a fingerprint.
Nothing is as constant as change, and time can take its toll on the appearance of your eyes, particularly the elements surrounding them, like your eyelids, brows, and sockets. Changes or injury to any of these affect the way your face looks.
Dr. Carrie L. Morris of Radiance Wellness MediSpa is a board certified physician and surgeon who specializes in oculofacial reconstruction, a collection of procedures that can counteract many of the problems that affect the appearance of your eyes.
The appearance of your eyes has as much to do with the surrounding tissue as it does with the eyeballs themselves. The procedure you need depends on the reason for your changed appearance. Physical trauma could require a multifaceted approach, while age-related drooping eyelids might require only minor surgery.
Some of the most common eye reconstruction techniques are listed here, as well as the conditions that require treatment.
Also known as an eyelid lift, blepharoplasty treats a condition called ptosis. Sometimes, babies are born with drooping eyelids on one or both sides, but the problem most often comes as a result of aging. The skin of the eyelids is some of the thinnest you have on your body, so as you lose natural skin tone, laxity and gravity combine to drag your lids down.
Entropion is a condition in which the eyelids turn inward across their length, while ectropion describes when the lids turn outward. Both of these conditions, called malpositions, can result in chronic eye irritation and pain. Dr. Morris can correct both problems through surgery.
When cancer affects the eyelid, removing the cancerous cells can take a toll on function of the lid. Mohs surgery is often used by cancer specialists to assure all signs of cancer are gone. After Mohs specialists remove the cancer, Dr. Morris performs eyelid reconstruction surgery to correct any functional or aesthetic issues.
Nerve paralysis in the face can cause eyelid problems, interfering with the normal protection and lubrication of the eye. This can result from injury, stroke, or other conditions. It’s referred to as Bell’s palsy when there’s no observable cause. Dr. Morris performs a repair procedure that implants a small weight in the eyelid to facilitate blinking for palsy patients.
Your eyesight is the primary priority when you have an injury affecting the eyes. When the eyelid is involved, you may need surgery to restore its proper function.
Trauma, cancer, and blindness can lead to the removal of an eye and the need for reconstruction, either immediately or later, when the eye socket experiences changes over time. Dr. Morris draws on a variety of techniques to rebuild the socket for comfortable use with a prosthetic eye.
Reconstructive surgery for the eyes requires specialized knowledge and experience. You can find both with Dr. Morris at Radiance Wellness MediSpa. Make an appointment online or by phone at the nearest office. Your ocular reconstruction starts in consultation with Dr. Morris. Book now.
