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People spend a great deal of time looking at our eyes. We speak and convey emotion while looking at each other’s eyes. For this reason, the eyelids are often the area where the effects of aging first become apparent. These effects can make a person look tired or older than their actual age, and they may occasionally obstruct peripheral vision. The upper eyelid skin slowly thins and becomes redundant over time, while the lower lid skin loses elasticity. Fat pockets become prominent, causing the “bags” seen beneath the eyes. Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, is a cosmetic surgery procedure that can help a person look more rested and youthful.

Dr. Schwartz performs both upper and lower eyelid blepharoplasty for Los Angeles patients at our Pasadena, California, practice. He performs blepharoplasty of the upper eyelid with a specially designed incision that allows for lifting of the tissues at the outer edge of the eyelids. He designs this incision in an upward sloping pattern to avoid the sad look that sometimes results from trimming upper lid skin and then abruptly ending the incision at the outer edge of the eyelids. This upward lifting design achieves a more natural, “happier” appearance, and the line from the incision heals and disappears.

Blepharoplasty of the lower eyelid is performed through what is called the transconjunctival approach. This is a discreet surgical approach that involves making incisions in the lining of the lower eyelid after anesthetizing it and then trimming the fat compartments in the eyelids and orbits. In using this technique, there is no skin incision required, which eliminates the possibility of complications from blepharoplasty such as scleral show (exposure of the white of the eye) and ectropion (rolling outwards of the lower eyelid). Occasionally, if there is redundant skin in the lower lid, a small pinch of skin will be taken just below the lashes and, when done conservatively, this too poses minimal risk of scleral show or ectropion.