SURGEON SURVEY: BLEPHAROPLASTY AND BLEPHAROCALASIS
Eyelid plastic surgery is part of a branch of ophthalmology called “oculoplasty”. This branch of ophthalmology deals with correcting, in a surgical way, not only of aesthetic defects but also functional deficits which can alter the corneal structure by damaging the ocular surface leading up to major visual declines.
For this reason, a thorough eye examination, oculoplasty and tear film examination must be performed to identify any secondary eye diseases related to eyelid changes. The most typical conditions with such complications are for example: ectropion, entropion and congenital or post-traumatic palpebral ptosis.
The eyelids can lose their shape over the years and become curved inside (entropion) or outside (ectropion). Depending on the area of the deformation, the tarsal structure is acted upon and the right ratio is restored between the eyelid and eye. In entropion we often have the growth of eyelashes that scratch the cornea. These can be eliminated with a laser treatment in several sessions (argon laser).
If the upper eyelid exceeds due to skin laxity, it can even cover the pupil (blepharocalasis). Even in this case the (bilateral) technique consists in removing the excess skin. For the lower eyelid, instead, dermal laxity involves the formation of “bags” so it is essential not only to remove a lozenge of skin, but also a small amount of fat that pushes from the inside.
Blepharoplasty and blepharocalasis interventions are performed bilaterally after local anesthesia. The stitches are evaluated the day after the operation and removed after about 7-10 days depending on the case.
SURGERY OF PERIORBITICAL CUTANEOUS IMPLICATIONS
At the skin level, xantelasmas may appear on the inner side which are small accumulations of fat that can be removed with a diathermic surface treatment without incisions and sutures. They can recur over the years, but it is possible to intervene.
Other small growths may be fibroids or papillomas, sometimes present on the eyelid margin. These last ones can be removed with diathermy or more finely and precisely with a laser (argon laser).
The growth of a particular tumor called basalioma, a malignant tumor that does not give metastasis, is frequent, especially on the nasal side. The tendency to infiltrate the tissues and expand means that early removal is imperative.
