Blepharoplasty is considered to be a simple operation in plastic surgery. The procedure allows you to eliminate bags under the eyes, remove hanging eyelids, and also correct the shape of the eyes. However, complications after blepharoplasty can also occur. Sometimes the cause is the individual characteristics of the patient's body, but in some cases the problem may be provoked by the mistakes of the surgeon.
The essence of the procedure
Blepharoplasty is an effective low-traumatic way to rejuvenate the appearance. In the process, the surgeon cuts the upper eyelid along the crease or the lower one, just below the eyelashes, and then removes the subcutaneous fat. Thanks to this, the face after blepharoplasty looks younger and fresher, bags under the eyes disappear, the look becomes more open. After the completion of the plastic surgery, a neat suture is applied, which heals completely over time, remaining practicallyinconspicuous.
The transconjunctival technique is often used. In the process, the incision is made from the inside of the eyelids using a laser, so that the seam is invisible. The risk of complications after transconjunctival blepharoplasty is minimal if the operation is performed by an experienced surgeon. The result will depend on the patient, on how he will behave in the postoperative period, how accurately he will adhere to the requirements of rehabilitation.
What is normal after surgery
Some complications after blepharoplasty appear during the first days almost always and are considered the norm. These are bags above and below the eyes, bruises, which are especially pronounced in smoking patients, tearing. All of these factors are early consequences of surgery and disappear within a short time. Whether such complications should be treated is up to the doctor.
Early complications
Early type of complications after blepharoplasty is a reaction of the body that manifests itself in the first days after surgery. These include redness of the eyes, bruising around the eyes, swelling of the face. Abundant tearing is often manifested, in some cases, on the contrary, excessive dryness, due to which the mucous membrane can itch. Such manifestations pass on their own in a short time. More complex consequences are bleeding and eversion of the lower eyelid.
Edema
Puffiness is a normal reaction of tissues to external injury or pathological processes in the body. This isa complication after blepharoplasty, surgery to change the shape of the eyelids, is formed as a result of an increase in the level of vascular permeability. Through the vascular walls, more of the liquid part of the blood enters the damaged area than usual. This is important to speed up healing.
Swelling of the eyelids after blepharoplasty is not a pathology. If they persist for 10 days or longer, it is still worth contacting a doctor for advice to find out the cause of such an effect. Additional symptoms accompanying swelling are headache, blurred vision, diplopia.
Hematoma
The main cause of hematomas is damage to the blood vessels in the eyelids. Bleeding may occur immediately or 2-3 days after surgery. Based on the scale of damage, experts divide them into the following:
- Subcutaneous - when the accumulation of blood occurs under the skin in the area of the surgical incision. Such a hematoma is safe, usually resolves on its own in one to two weeks. You can reduce the regeneration time through self-massage, as well as treating the area with a special ointment prescribed by a doctor. In isolated cases, it may be necessary to open the wound and remove the blood pool.
- Tense. Similar to subcutaneous, but the blood accumulates in a much larger volume. In this case, the procedure for opening the edges of the wound is necessarily involved in order to subsequently draw out the blood and suture the damaged blood vessels.
- Retrobulbar. The cause of such hematomas isdamage to large blood vessels that are located behind the eyeball. If blepharoplasty is minor, then pathology occurs extremely rarely. The main symptom of retrobulbar hemorrhage is protrusion of the eye, severe pain, vision problems, limited mobility of the eyeball, redness of the conjunctiva. As soon as you notice such signs, you should immediately consult a doctor for timely therapy, otherwise you can temporarily lose your eyesight, and in difficult cases there is a risk of developing retinal thrombosis and acute glaucoma.
Diplopia
Disturbance of vision, consisting in the bifurcation of visible objects, is extremely rare as a result of eyelid surgery. The general form of the pathology is provoked by the use of local anesthesia, which is administered by injection into the fatty layer. The topical anesthetic agent spreads widely and rapidly, affecting the cranial nerves. An increased risk of diplopia is present with revision blepharoplasty.
Double vision can occur as a result of damage to the muscles of the eye - the lower oblique (more often) or the straight line (less often). Patients may also complain of diplopia in one eye after blepharoplasty as a result of tear film disruption. This mild form of pathology passes with blinking and completely disappears a few days after the operation.
Lower eyelid eversion
Postoperative complication in the form of eversion of the lower eyelid, in which the patient's eye does not close, is eliminatedgymnastics and massages. Thus, an increase in the tone of the circular muscle is achieved. In more complex cases, a second operation with a skin graft is required.
Reoperation is also necessary for a complication called round eye. This is a deformation of the eye incision, which is accompanied by redness of the mucous membrane, dryness and discomfort. Eyes after surgery look unnaturally protruding.
Infection of postoperative wounds
As a result of non-compliance with the rules of sterility during the operation, there is a risk of infection of the wound. This pathological phenomenon manifests itself as an inflammatory process, an increase in body temperature and the release of pus from the sutures.
The condition requires immediate treatment with medications, a course of antibiotics is required. The wound after infection will take much longer to heal, and, accordingly, the rehabilitation period after blepharoplasty will take longer.
Orbital hemorrhage
This is the most dangerous complication after blepharoplasty, as it is fraught with complete loss of vision. This consequence can be provoked by a surgeon's mistake or by a surgical intervention on a patient who has contraindications. The latter include hypertension, as well as taking anticoagulants and alcoholic beverages shortly before surgery.
Orbital hemorrhage usually manifests itself on the first day after correction and is difficult to treat. The most effective method will be a second operation, but in especially severe cases, restorelost vision is impossible.
Tear tears
The phenomenon is caused by the displacement of the lacrimal openings as a result of the operation outward or by a violation of an adequate outflow of fluid due to pathological scarring of the tissue. To get rid of pathological tearing, a second surgical intervention may be necessary.
Late complications
When the period of active rehabilitation is over, it will finally be possible to evaluate the results of the surgical intervention. Late unpleasant consequences can be observed after 10-15 days. This is dry keratoconjunctivitis, suture failure, etc.
Scars and seals
If the operation is performed by the traditional method, with a scalpel, there is a possibility of developing pathological seals and scars. The risk is increased if the patient has a history of keloid scars. It is possible to prevent the formation of scars after blepharoplasty by additionally introducing special gels into the incision sites, the action of which is aimed at improving the quality of regenerative processes in the patient's skin.
The following signs indicate the formation of keloid scars:
- growths on the eyelids;
- growth of connective tissue at the seams, thickening of tissues;
- itching, burning and even pain in the worked areas.
In order to eliminate keloid scars, ointments and creams are used, laser resurfacing procedure, injection of steroids, cryotherapy (working out with liquidnitrogen).
According to reviews, a complication after blepharoplasty of the lower eyelids in the form of seals (bumps) rarely develops. If the reason lies in the formation of scar tissue on the eyelids, then this phenomenon is not an alarming signal. Local edema is also considered harmless, which is often observed in the postoperative period and passes on its own.
More serious reasons are:
- cyst, which was formed as a result of an incorrectly performed suture;
- formation of pyogenic granuloma;
- bulging of the eyelid due to improperly connected cartilage of the ciliary margin of the eye and muscle.
Seam separation
The problem can manifest itself due to improper suturing during surgery. Severe swelling and problems with the quality of the material for stitching can also provoke a pathological phenomenon. Re-suturing will be required to prevent tissue infection resulting from the dehiscence.
Infection penetration
Infection may occur as a result of violations of sanitary standards during blepharoplasty. The reason may lie in the non-compliance with medical recommendations by the patient, which he received from the doctor.
Therapy consists in the use of bactericidal ointments, antibiotics. If the course of the infection has a complex form, an opening of the wound and subsequent treatment of the internal tissues of the eyelids will be required.
Asymmetry
A complication in the form of eye asymmetry occurs as a result ofimproperly placed sutures or problems with the process of scarring of tissues. Pathology can also develop due to the carelessness of the surgeon to the patient, who already has congenital asymmetry. A congenital or acquired type of asymmetry can only increase after blepharoplasty if it is performed incorrectly.
Lower upper eyelid
Such a complication as drooping of the upper eyelid occurs very rarely. An undesirable consequence of blepharoplasty indicates the poor quality of the intervention. During the tightening, the surgeon damaged the muscular apparatus, thereby provoking ptosis. In this case, therapy can only be operational.
Prevention
To reduce the likelihood of complications after blepharoplasty, the operation is quite simple, you need to follow some recommendations:
- Choose a reliable clinic. Today in Russia there are many clinics where doctors can do blepharoplasty. It is important that the staff is competent and experienced. According to reviews, many patients from Moscow had an operation at the SM-Clinic on Clara Zetkin. It is said to be equipped with state of the art equipment.
- Choose a reliable and highly qualified surgeon. The doctor must have the appropriate certificates and must have a long experience in the field of plastic eye surgery.
- Pass a complete diagnosis of the body. As a result, it will be possible to determine the presence of contraindications.
- Get a consultation with an ophthalmologist. The doctor will assess the condition of the eyes, as well aswill help determine the level of risk of complications.
- Strictly follow all the doctor's recommendations, adhere to the rules of rehabilitation.
Complications after blepharoplasty are rare. But still the risk of undesirable consequences is present. A responsible approach to the question of where to do blepharoplasty will help to avoid unpleasant phenomena. It is worth paying attention to modern clinics, where experienced qualified doctors work. In particular, the SM-Clinic at Clara Zetkin, 33, bldg. 28.
It was opened in 2006, and competent and experienced doctors, specialists of the highest category work here. The clinic has modern equipment that allows doctors to cope with tasks of any complexity. Here, attentive staff and very comfortable conditions.
