What Is Oculoplastic Surgery?

Oculoplastic surgery has grown in popularity over recent years. Most people are opting for it to treat different types of issues.

Oculoplastic surgery is a highly specialized surgical treatment. It deals with plastic and reconstructive surgery of the tear ducts, eyelids, orbits, and cosmetic surgery of the eyelids and eyebrows.

It entails the surgical and medical treatment of the different abnormalities a patient may have in some areas of their face. It addresses issues in the tear or lacrimal system and the facial area around it.

Conditions Treated With Oculoplastic Surgery

Oculoplastic surgery treats patients with the following conditions:

• Ptosis - Drooping of your upper eyelids.

• Tumors - Malignant or benign tumors of the orbit, eyelid, or eye.

• Injuries - Trauma affecting the orbit, eyelid, or eye.

• Ectropion - Turning out and sagging lower eyelids resulting in eyeball exposure.

• Entropion - The inward turning of the upper or lower eyelid that causes the eyelashes and skin to rub against your eye.

• Eyelid growths - Malignant or benign growths on your face or eyelid.

• Brow ptosis - Drooping eyebrows

• Obstructed tear ducts - Tear duct blockage.

• Blepharoptosis - Extra fat or skin below and above the eyes.
   

Types of Oculoplastic Surgery

There are different kinds of oculoplastic available. Blepharoplasty and ptosis repair is one of them.

It is a procedure done by oculoplastic surgeons to correct droopy eyelids. The muscle and excess skin from your eyelids are removed to give you a youthful appearance and improve the quality of your vision. Ptosis repair involves restoring the edge of your eyelids to their healthy and normal state above your pupil. These two procedures are relatively painless and brief.

Another oculoplastic surgery is an eyebrow lift. It lifts the brows to a healthy and optimum location. It can improve your vision quality and give you a youthful appearance.

Epiphora is a type of oculoplastic surgery that addresses tear duct blockages. It opens the blockages through a bypass. As a result, your tear flow returns to its natural and normal state. Plastic tubes are inserted in your tear drain for three to six months for optimal healing.

Another type of oculoplastic surgery is tumor removal. Your oculoplastic surgeon at Santa Barbara Eyecare can diagnose whether you have a benign or malignant tumor through a biopsy. The diagnosis will help them treat it effectively. You can get treatment for cancers found in your orbital area and eyelid through tumor removal.

Ectropion and entropion are conditions that affect the positioning of your eyelid. You can experience them when your eyelid turns towards or away from the eye. They cause discharge and discomfort that an oculoplastic surgeon can correct.

Risks Associated With Oculoplastic Surgery

Oculoplastic surgery carries various risks like any other medical procedure. Your Santa Barbara Oculoplastic surgeon will advise you about the following risks:

• Scarring

• Overreaction, which happens in rare cases

• Asymmetry

• Visual impairment, which happens in rare cases

• Wound dehiscence

• Globe perforation when injected with a local anesthetic

• Ptosis

How You Can Prepare

Preparing for surgery is essential to ensure you are in the appropriate head space. Ideally, inform your general practitioner before any oculoplastic surgery. Avoid some supplements and medications like warfarin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents. Your oculoplastic surgeon will guide you further on the ones you should not use.

You may not be able to drive yourself back home after your surgery. Ask a friend or family member to pick you up and stay with you for at least eight hours after the procedure.

 

For more on oculoplastic surgery, call Santa Barbara Eyecare at our offices in Santa Barbara at (805) 967-9990  to discuss any questions.