Revisional Eyelid surgery

Some of the most dreaded complications of facial plastic surgery are those associated with the eyelids. The intricate and sensitive nature of the eyelids renders them aesthetically and functionally less forgiving. As an oculoplastic surgeon with expertise in plastic surgery around the eyes, Dr. Maleki treats a lot of patients who have had previous complications with eyelid plastic surgery and now require cosmetic and functional correction. Toronto Eyelid Surgery is the premier referral site in Canada for patients who need revisional eyelid surgery. Our goal is to regain normal eyelid function while maintaining an aesthetic outcome.

When is reconstructive eyelid surgery a viable option?

We recommend that you wait until the healing process is complete before you assess the results of your eyelid surgery. It is especially important not to overreact when you see the swelling and bruising that often results immediately after eyelid surgery. Keep in mind that the recovery can take up to three months or more and the pace of recovery can vary from patient to patient.

Once the healing process is complete and there is no longer any reasonable expectation that the results of your surgery will improve, you can decide whether there is some aspect of your procedure that is not satisfactory. Typical problems that necessitate a revision of eyelid surgery include:

• Tearing and dry eyes due to an inability to close eyelids post cosmetic surgery
• The unnatural shape of the eyes (eg. rounded corners) post cosmetic surgery
• The asymmetry of the surgical work

There are primarily two types of revisional eyelid surgeries: Type one is used to revise “under corrected” eyelid surgery where too much extra skin or fat was left behind and the patient is unsatisfied with the results. Eyelid revision surgery can also correct lid ptosis or “drooping” eyelids. The second type of eyelid revision surgery is used to correct “overdone” eyelid surgery where too much skin and/or fat was removed giving the eyes a misshapen or unnatural appearance. In this case skin is harvested from other sites such as behind the ear or the mucosa of the mouth and used to raise the eyelids.

Corrective eyelid surgery can often be more challenging than the initial procedure.  Reconstructive eyelid surgery typically involves highly creative and demanding surgical solutions that can only be delivered by those who specialize in both the functional and aesthetics treatment of eyelids.  Specialized in Oculoplastic surgery, Dr. Maleki brings a unique mix of expertise and experience to his work that has helped many patients achieve a more satisfying result. “What’s most important is being honest with the patient,” says Dr. Maleki. “I only suggest corrective surgery if I believe there is a high chance of achieving significantly improved results.”