Eyelid surgery for the elderly

Upper Blepharoplasty for the Elderly

Upper blepharoplasty’s primary goal for the elderly is to achieve an overall harmony to the face and not just to get the double fold itself. Outcome of the surgery should be natural and aesthetically pleasing. The surgery’s primary attribute is to fix the sagging eyelid. However, a skilled surgeon is necessary because elasticity of the skin is significantly decreased for the elderly, as well as decreased orbicularis pupillary reflex and subcutaneous fat. To combat the natural process of aging, there are different surgical methods to achieve a desired outcome for the elderly.

If a patient has a very thin-skin eyelid, and generally has a sunken eyelid look, orbicularis oculi muscle is not removed. On the other hand, if a patient has thicker eyelid, unwanted fat is removed via septal button hole.

As we age, main notable difference is skin elasticity. Have you noticed that younger people’s double fold eyelids are more elongated? This is because as we age, fat accumulates in between aponeueurosis and orbicularis oculi muscle. Coupled this with gravity, one can observe unwanted sagging eyes. All in all, one must chose carefully because a very skillful and knowledgeable surgeon is needed to achieve satisfaction.