Functional Blepharoplasty Gives Patient Improved Vision, Enhanced Appearance

Mary Lou Lueders, 74, never considered cosmetic surgery until she found out that functional blepharoplasty for her droopy upper eyelids could improve her vision.

What she didn’t expect is that she would love the cosmetic results as well.

“I just thought I would grow old gracefully,” she told tampabay.com.

“People told me I looked 10, 20 years younger,” said Lueders after the eyelid surgery. “Now I understand why women do this sort of thing. It makes them feel better and look better.”

“The face communicates so much,” said Tampa surgeon Adam Scheiner, who performed Lueders’ surgery. “The natural course of aging may make us look sleepy, tired or sick all the time. That’s not fair to those people who feel great but their face sends a different message.”

In Lueders’ case, her eyelid procedure was considered medically necessary and was covered by Medicare. She also had a laser procedure to remove festoons under her eyes, which was considered a cosmetic procedure.

Candidates for eyelid surgery may have one or more of the following conditions:

• Bags under the eyes
• Sagging upper eyelids
• A tired, puffy-eyed appearance
• Crepey, excess eyelid skin
• Impaired vision due to eyelid imperfections

After surgery, patients may have some swelling and tightness around the eyes, which should go away within two days after surgery, and a full recovery is usually within ten days.

For a total upper face rejuvenation, eyelid surgery can be combined with a brow lift.

Learn more about eyelid surgery at Inland Cosmetic Surgery.