Upper Blepharoplasty · Hooded eyes vs ptosis
Eyelid Surgery · Understanding the problem
'Heavy eyelids' is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Excess skin, a descended brow and a weak eyelid muscle all look similar in the mirror — and each one calls for a different operation. The single most important step is getting this right before anyone operates.
The three causes
Many patients have a combination — which is exactly why the assessment matters more than the operation.
Assessment
At consultation Dr Kim assesses the position of your brow at rest, the height of the eyelid margin relative to the pupil, the amount and quality of excess skin, eyelid closure and blink, and dry-eye risk factors. Where vision is affected, visual field testing documents the obstruction — which also matters for Medicare eligibility.
The honest consequence: sometimes the right advice is blepharoplasty; sometimes it's ptosis repair, a brow procedure, or nothing at all. You'll be told which — and why.
Common questions
Look at old photographs of yourself: compare where your eyebrow sat relative to the bony rim above your eye. Lifting the brow gently with a finger and watching the eyelid fold disappear is another clue — your surgeon will test this formally.
Removing skin from a lid with unrecognised ptosis leaves the eyelid margin still drooping — the tired look persists and a second operation is needed. This is the most common reason for disappointing eyelid surgery.
Yes, where both problems coexist they can often be corrected in one procedure — but only if both were diagnosed beforehand.
Yes. Functional criteria differ for blepharoplasty and ptosis repair, and documented visual field obstruction is central to both. Dr Kim assesses and documents this at consultation.
Related
Next step
Consultations in Sydney CBD and North Sydney. Referrals from GPs, dermatologists and Mohs surgery specialists welcome. Phone 1300 911 151.
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