Oculoplastic Eye Surgery
Oculoplastic eye surgery involves the surgical treatment of the eyelids, orbits and surrounding tissues. A healthy eye requires that the eyelids and lashes function normally. The eyelids act like windshield wipers on the cornea and surface of the eye. As you may have observed with the windshield wiper on your car that any unevenness or malfunction results in streaks and problems decreasing visibility. Well, just imagine streaks and scratches on your eye.
Some oculoplastic problems can be treated by procedures here in the office of Hirshfield Eye Associates in Queens without surgery. One of the more common problems is trichiasis which is a condition where lashes grow in a direction that scratch the surface of the eye. These can be treated by simply removing them with a forceps or with electrolysis. Many oculoplastic conditions do require surgery. These include conditions such as the eyelids turning in (entropion) or out (ectropion). Droopy upper eyelids causing loss of vision can be raised surgically. The eyelids are a very common location for skin cancer, especially basal cell carcinoma, and these can often be cured by surgically removing them. A common complaint is tearing and this sometimes is a result of a blocked tear duct and if so, surgical correction procedure is usually required and effective.
Many people, both young and old complain of puffy eyelids giving them a tired appearance. This is a natural result of a combination of family background and aging. Cosmetic eyelid surgery can relieve this problem making a patient look younger. Botox injections can relieve forehead furrows and frown lines as well as crow’s feet around the eyelids. The bottom line is that very close attention to a patient’s symptoms combined with a very detailed examination can usually lead to the correct diagnosis and intervention to relieve some very disturbing symptoms. Here at Hirshfield Eye Associates in Queens we are very experienced at solving these problems for patients.
