Ptosis Repair

[Bunnie1650]

Dear Doctor:

I have recently had a face lift and an upper eyelid lift on both eyes w/ ptosis correction on one eye only. My one eye had drooped about 1/16" lower than the other eye before the surgery. The eye that had the ptosis correction is noticably wider mow, (about 3/16" - 1/8") more open than the other eye. In addition to this, the crease where the incision was made on this eye extends outward from the outer corner of my eye about 1/4", is a littly lumpy, and still pinkish. Also, I am unable to move my eyebrow on this side, and when I sleep, my eye does not close all the way. It gets very irritated, and  I have to constantly put opthmalic salve in it to keep it from getting dry. In the daytime, I use saline solution to get rid of the salve, so I can function on my computer (I am an architect, using AutoCad, so I deal w/ very precise dimensions). I find that this is affecting my vision. It has been two weeks since the surgery,...the face lift look great. and the other eye looks good and has healed. However, I am very concerned about the eye mentioned above, since I have not seen any change for the better. My doctor told me to wait a month, but I really think that he removed too much skin on this eye. Is there a reverse procedure for this? Please advise me what to do as soon as you are able..I am scared. Thank you.

Thank you,
Bunnie1650

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[anderena]

Hi Bunnie,

I just had my ptosis repair recently and am facing the same problem as what you're mentioning above. My other eye is now bigger than the other and i look like a weirdo. My eyelid is very dry, but i am able to close my eye fully, but it seems that when i open my eye my surgical eye would open first as it is wider. Just wondering did you do anything after and how is your eye now?  Please share your experience.  Thanks!

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[Giveypup]

You can definitely have a re-op (re-operation), but I would do it exclusively  with a highly-qualified and proven oculoplastics surgeon.  I would not let your current, I am guessing plastic surgeon, surgeon re-operate.   If too much skin was excised, you're not going to get better in time.  As well, you want to make sure that your lids approximates (the top and bottom lids meet each other) so your cornea is not compromised.

I don't know where you live, but I would consider having a consult, at least, with Nicholas Iliff at Wilmer Eye Institute, in Baltimore; Wilmer is Hopkins' eye institute.  I know Dr. Iliff's work well--he is a master oculoplastics surgeon and has a lot of experience doing the dubious work of re-ops.

I wish you luck!

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

No it is not reversible in most cases. Yes it often gets better with time. In the mean time you will need to use artifical tears during the day and lubricating ointment at bedtime.

JCH MD