Eyelid Surgery to Widen the Eyes

In many ways, the eyes are the most important feature on the face because they can reflect your innermost thoughts and allow other to determine your character by looking you in the eye. The truth is that the shape and size of your eyes tell so much about you.

In some cases, however, the message that the shape and size sends may not be an accurate reflection of your true inner self. If your eyes are narrow and small, it can give the impression that you are tired, angry, worn, or untrustworthy. This can be frustrating if you do not see yourself this way. In other cases, there may be an aesthetic ideal that you feel the shape and size of your eyes may be lacking. While you may not wish to dramatically change the appearance of your eyes, you may want to make subtle enhancements.

Our staff at Jefferson Plastic Surgery has seen many patients who are looking toward cosmetic surgery of the eyelids as a way to widen their eyes. What can make the eyes appear too small, and what is the procedure to address small or narrow eyes?

What Can Make the Eyes Appear Too Small?

The most common reason that patients request eyelid surgery to make their eyes appear wider is due to excess loose skin around the upper eyelids and bags underneath the eyes. These issues can make it look as though you are tired, old, or always squinting.

If your upper eyelids have excessive droopiness, your vision can actually become obscured. This excess skin around your eyelids is the result of the loss of collagen, which is a protein that the body forms in order to help fill out the skin over the skeletal framework. As you age, your body naturally loses collagen, including around your eyes, leading to drooping eyelids and bags underneath the eyes.

You may also have pockets of excess fat around the upper and lower eyelids. This can give your eyelids a puffy appearance, which can also make your eyes appear smaller and further sunken into your face.

Eyelid Surgical Procedure

For the upper eyelid, your surgeon will start by making an incision in the crease of your eyelid. The skin of the eyelid will then gently be lifted up, and any fat deposits can be removed. Your surgeon will then remove excess loose skin, and then suture the remainder back into place.

For the lower eyelid, your surgeon will make the incision just below the lash line to remove baggy loose skin and fat deposits. In most cases, your recovery time should be less than a week, generally two to four days.

If your true self is youthful, friendly, and energetic, you want to show that off to everyone you meet. If you have excess fat and droopy skin that make your eyes look smaller, your facial appearance may not be conveying those qualities as well as you might like. If this is the case, eyelid surgery to widen your eyes might be just the answer you seek.