Heavy, hooded upper lids can be lightened, for comfort, vision or appearance.
With age, eyelid skin stretches and can fold over the lid. Doctors call this dermatochalasis.
Sometimes the fold rests on the lashes and blocks your upper vision. Other times it is mainly a cosmetic concern.
Simplified illustration, not to scale.
With ptosis, the muscle that lifts the lid is stretched or weak, so the lid itself sits low. It is treated with ptosis repair.
With extra eyelid skin (dermatochalasis), the lid sits in the right place, but loose skin hangs over it. It is treated with blepharoplasty.
Some people have both. Dr. Conlon will check which applies to you at your consultation.
A fold of loose skin hangs over the upper lid and makes it feel heavy.
The extra skin cuts off your upper view and can make your whole face look tired.
You raise your brows to lift the skin away, which can tire your forehead.
Skin resting on the lashes can rub and irritate the eye or cause tearing.
Blepharoplasty removes extra eyelid skin, and sometimes a little fat, through a hidden crease in the lid. It is usually a day procedure under local freezing, with a mild sedative often offered.
Dr. Conlon will explain the benefits and risks at your consultation.
Upper eyelid surgery may be covered by Saskatchewan Health when medically necessary, for example when extra eyelid skin blocks your vision or causes eye irritation.
Performed by Dr. M. Ronan Conlon, fellowship-trained in oculoplastic/orbital surgery (approved ASOPRS fellowship, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics).
Meet Dr. Conlon →Coming from out of town? We see many patients who travel a long distance, and we can often arrange virtual follow-ups where appropriate, so you make fewer trips.
Consultations are free.
Book a consultation