Pre-Operative Marking
Prior to your surgery, you will have the opportunity to speak with Dr Motykie about any part of your surgical procedure and/or recovery process. You will be asked to change into a surgical gown and Dr Motykie will place surgical markings on your upper eyes. The upper eyelids should be marked while you are awake so that accurate animated makings can be made. This marking technique will help to ensure a natural result and prevent under-resection of loose skin as well as over resection which can lead to the avoidable ”wide-eyed” appearance after surgery. The incision will be placed in your upper eyelid crease and it is not visible while your eyes are open. Lastly, wear loose fitting clothing the day of your surgery that is easy to get in and out of such as sweat pants and a shirt that zippers in the front.
Anesthesia and Operating Facility
You can either have general anesthesia or awake anesthesia with sedation for your own personal comfort, safety and surgical ease. Dr. Motykie uses only Board Certified Anesthesiologists to administer anesthesia and monitor your safety during your surgery. You may be given medication before reaching the operating room so you will feel relaxed before surgery. The surgery takes approximately 30 minutes to perform in its entirety. Every surgery is performed in a fully accredited, state of the art (AAAASF) surgical facility where your safety, comfort and privacy are of the utmost importance. Deep vein thrombosis (blood clots) precautions are taken with every patient and include a minimum of anti-embolic stockings and sequential compression devices (SCDs) on the lower extremities during the entire length of your procedure.
Surgical
After anesthesia is administered, an incision is made along the previously made markings that were drawn by Dr Motykie prior to your surgery. If a brow lift has been planned it is imperative that I be performed prior to the upper eyelid surgery because it will inherently improve the appearance of the upper eyes by lifting any attached drooping upper eyelid skin. Once this procedure is completed, the remaining upper eyelid skin needs to be reassessed in order to remove only the necessary amount during surgery. If a brow lift is not being performed attention can immediately be turned to the upper eyelid surgery. The standard technique involves placing an incision in the crease above each upper eyelid. Careful removal of the upper extra upper eyelid skin is then performed with care taken to preserve several important underlying structures of the upper eyelid. I prefer to remove very little upper orbital fat pads in order to preserve the youthful fullness of the upper eyelids. If too much fat is removed from this area, a sunken, tired appearance can result long-term after surgery. The incisions are then closed with a very thin suture that is typically removed 5-7 days after surgery. No dressings are needed on the upper eyes after the procedure is completed. Antibiotic ointment will be placed on the eyes and should be left in place overnight.
Recovery Room
After surgery you will be brought to the recovery area where you will be allowed to rest and completely recover from anesthesia. Nurses will be on staff by your bedside to make sure you are recovering properly as well as being able to provide you with pain medications and small amounts of water and/or ice chips while you are becoming more awake and alert. After you have fully recovered from anesthesia, you may be released to home with a responsible adult or you may choose to stay overnight in an outpatient recovery retreat where there are nurses on staff 24hrs to assist you with post-operative care and medications. The most comfortable position to recover in after surgery is a reclining chair with your head elevated. Over the first night you will most likely find yourself having to use the bathroom frequently. This is normal and is due to the intravenous fluids you received during your surgical procedure. The night following your surgery, you may experience some pain and discomfort that can be controlled with your prescribed pain medication. The area surrounding the eyes may become swollen following the surgery. It should begin to subside after the first day. Some blurring vision is normal overnight due to swelling around the eyes.
- Pre-Operative
- Day Of Surgery
- Post Operative 1 day | 1 week | 1 Month | Long Term
- Combined Procedures
To find out more about eyelid surgery please contact us at 310-246-2355
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