The Eyes Have It - Would YOU sacrifice your vision for beauty?
Skin treatment around the eyes requires a delicate and experienced hand, because the face, eyelids, tear drainage system, surface of the eye and cornea all work together. Dr Peter Ring at Eye Institute in Auckland warns that people seeking to look younger might end up with vision problems.
“Many people just don’t know that any surgical procedure on or around the eye has an effect on the whole functional unit of eye and eyelid,” says Dr Ring. “Thus, it is critical that procedures on this part of the face, whether functional or aesthetic, be performed by ophthalmic and oculoplastic surgeons who have relevant training and experience.”
Modern ophthalmic and oculoplastic surgery now incorporates Botox® and filler injections around the eyes. Botox diminishes dynamic lines (caused by muscle action) and fillers diminish static lines and furrows (present at rest). These appearance techniques are important additions to surgical practice, because they give surgeons alternatives to removing skin or lifting tissue in order to treat lines, wrinkles, creases or furrows.
Oculoplastic surgeons like Doctor Adam Watson and Eye Surgeon Doctor Helen Danesh-Meyer also from Eye Institute, now use Botox and fillers to achieve more subtle and reversible effects than could be achieved with traditional surgical practices. They report that clients appreciate the short recovery time and the fact that their “new look” can be achieved without scars.
Men and women aged 30 and over have received oculoplastic treatment at Eye Institute. They have sought to have droopy eyelids fixed and “bags” removed from under their eyes. Both droopy eyelids (ptosis) and “bags” (fullness and sagging of the eyelid skin) are cosmetic concerns that create an appearance of constant tiredness but can also cause vision problems. Other clients who have taken advantage of Eye Institute’s blade-free IntraLase Custom LASIK procedure to restore 20/20 vision have also often wanted a complete fresh look. All of these day surgical procedures can be performed or augmented with Botox and filler injections.
Dr Watson says, “A lot of people put up with cosmetic and vision problems when they don’t have to. Conditions like these can be very successfully treated, with significant appearance, health and lifestyle benefits.” To change the way you see yourself, without changing the way you see, visit your qualified ophthalmologist for more information.
Oculoplastic surgery and what to look for in a surgeon
- Oculoplastic surgery is cosmetic, corrective, and reconstructive eye surgery.
- Also called oculo-facial surgery, as eyelids are continuous with the forehead and cheeks.
- It manages and repairs problems primarily related to the tissues or structures surrounding the eye, including eyelids, tear ducts, and orbit.
- Surgery is primarily done to maintain, restore or improve function and appearance.
- Oculoplastic surgeons also do aesthetic treatments on normal eyelids and surrounding tissues to improve their perceived beauty.
- Oculoplastic surgeons are ophthalmologists (eye surgeons) who have completed several years of additional, highly specialised training in plastic surgery. They therefore have an in-depth knowledge of the eyelids, the eye and their function.
New Zealand, Auckland – Published in Surburan Papers 15 May 2007
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