Treatment for Functional Complications of Upper Blepharoplasty

The most common functional complications caused by the upper blepharoplasty are includes:


1. Creation of droopy upper eyelid or Eyelid Ptosis
2. Lagophthalmos or shortage of tissue due to adequate prevention of closure


Eyelid Ptosis is a functional complication caused due to surgical injury to the levator muscle or aponeurosis (the lifting muscle and tendon) or placement of deep fixation causes tethering of levator action. Surgical injury includes the stretching or cutting of the tendon. The complication surgical injury can be repaired by the blepharoplasty specialist who has exposure in the eyelid reconstructive surgery. When sutures placed to a deep fixation it starts restrict the levator action. This tethering of levator action from sutures causes the eyelid ptosis. Such cases of the eyelid ptosis resolve fully without any additional surgery by the time of two to four weeks.

Lagophthalmos is a serious functional complication for eye surface health. The main reason for the lagophthalmos is excessive skin removal or internal scarring and results in inadequate eye closure. In some mild cases of lagophthalmos implantation of gold or platinum eyelid weight may designed to support eye closure. Massage is also a solution to repair eye closure. Typical cases of this complications are operated by the additional surgery. In this surgery new skin is grafted from a donor site (mostly behind the ear). Results of grafting are partial and cosmetically not perfect.

The catastrophic loss of vision is one of the most uncommon functional complications of upper blepharoplasty. This complication is caused due to build up of blood socket behind the eyeball. "Retrobulbar hemorrhage" can arise unexpectedly and is most commonly heralded by the beginning of very considerable pain and a graying of the vision. To resolve this functional complication, you need to go under treatment without any delay. To release any trapped blood Stitches may be removed and this will also open the wounds. The pressure from the eyeball needs to take off by allowing it to bulge forward. The removal of socket bone untying the orbit from the sinus cavities may help.