EYELID SURGERY

CO2-laser oculoplastic surgery

The CO2 laser was designed to treat eyelid conditions like blefarochalazis, ptosis, xanthelasmata, entropion and ectropion.
All these malformations are part of the “aging face”.

The CO2 laser gives us the opportunity to operate on the eyelids in a bloodless manner.
This gives better vision and faster healing for the patients.
The CO2 laser creates a light wave in the infrared zone of electromagnetic spectrum.
It is mainly absorbed by water in the tissues. We can use it to incise, dissect, ablate or vaporise tissue. Clinical trials have proven that CO2 laser offers an equal esthetical result in oculoplastic surgery as the conventional scalpel technique.

However it offers several advantages.
* good haemostasis
* excellent vision
* less operative time ( >33%)
* less bruising
* faster recovery

Preoperative it is important not to take acetylsalicylic, garlic or Vit E because these medications liquefies your blood.

Upper eyelid correction

This is one of the most popular and successful operations of the aging face.
Patients complain they don’t have enough space to put on their make-up, the cause being an excess of skin on the upper eyelid.
When the skin hangs over the eyelashes the visual field may be disturbed.
This condition causes vertical wrinkles of the forehead.

We can solve this problem by removing this excess skin, combined with removing part of the orbicularis muscle and may be fat.
The whole intervention is performed with only one instrument, the CO2-laser.
After surgery icepacks are placed on the eyes for half an hour, then you can leave the laser centre. If you experience any pain you may take paracetamol tablets. The result is a younger look with a less stressed forehead.

Lower eyelid correction

Patients frequently complain of baggy eyelids causing a tired look.
With the CO2 -laser we can treat this condition using a transconjunctival incision.
Three fat zones are removed with the laser without placing any stitches.
After the laser surgery icepacks are placed on the eyes for half an hour, than you can leave the laser centre. If you experience any pain you may take paracetamol tablets. No visible scar can be detected after the surgery.

Blepharoptosis

In this condition patients have visual disturbances due to an overhanging upper eyelid covering the pupil. After a complete eye examination the eye surgeon will decide what type of correction is suitable for you. All surgery is performed under local anaesthetic with the CO2-laser. The operation is carried out at the BOLC at Drongen on an out patient basis.
The stitches have to be taken out after one week.

Xanthelasmata

There are yellow coloured areas around the eyes which disfigure your face.
These lesions contain lipids and it is advisable to have a general check –up to detect alterations of your blood lipids or cholesterol.
Under local anaesthetic we can remove these lesions without placing stitches.
The bare skin is left to heal under antibiotic ointment which takes about 2 weeks.

Entropion & ectropion

Inwards malpositioned eyelids the lower eyelid or less frequently the upper eyelid turns inwards or outwards.
This may be due to age or scar formation in the eyelid.
Ectopion of the lower eyelid is also a possible complication of lower eyelid blepharoplasty.
With the CO2-laser we incise the skin in a bloodless way and reposition the eyelid to its normal position. There are stitches which we remove one week later.