How often have you heard the expression, "The eyes are the windows of the soul"? Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "one of the most wonderful things in nature is a glance of the eye; it transcends speech; it is the bodily symbol of identity." How many poems and songs have been written about the eyes? More than any other feature, your eyes reveal the most about how you feel. They are the central focus of attention when people speak to you.

The delicate skin around the eyes is often the first area of the face to lose the blush of youth, often resulting in a fatiqued or unhappy appearance. When the upper eyelid begins to sag it may eventually interfere with a person's peripheral vision. Fortunately, there is a common surgical procedure, called blepharoplasty, which can greatly improve this condition by tightening the excessive eyelid skin and reducing puffiness or "bags" under the eyes. Blepharoplasty is a 1 1/2 to 2 hour surgical procedure which, in healthy patients, may be performed in the surgeon's office operating room under intravenous and local anesthetic.

Typically, the incision in the upper eyelid is placed within the natural crease fold, extending slightly beyond the outside corner into the crow's feet or laugh lines. The lower eyelid incision is concealed just below the lower lashes. Through these incisions, excessive skin and fat are removed. The amount of bruising and swelling varies greatly amoung individuals but generally within the first week, it will reach its peak and then begin to fade and subside. Most patients return to their normal activities within a few days by applying camouflage make-up to cover any bruising. However, it may be several weeks before the swelling has completely subsided and it is best not to plan the surgery too close to an important event. The results from this type of surgery are quite long lasting and can greatly improve one's appearance as well as diminish visual obstruction resulting from excessive upper eyelid skin.