Is eyelid surgery a cosmetic or medical procedure?
A natural part of the aging process is the development of wrinkles. This often occurs
around the eyes. It is also common for the skin around the eyes to become less elastic,
resulting in droopy eyelids. Sometimes this happens at an early age. Without realizing it,
you may start working your forehead muscles harder in an effort to lift your drooping
eyelids. This may cause browaches and fatigue. If you are having these symptoms, or
simply do not like the way your eyelids appear, you may be a candidate for a
blepharoplasty. It is usually easy to correct puffy or droopy eyelids through outpatient
eyelid surgery.
Eyelid surgery, technically called blepharoplasty, is a procedure to remove excess skin
from the eyelids. Eyelid surgery can correct drooping upper lids, a feature that may
actually interfere with your vision. However, the blepharoplasty procedure will not
eliminate the wrinkles around the eyes (crow s feet) nor will it elevate a droopy eyebrow.
There are other procedures designed for these purposes.
By removing the excess wrinkled skin, blepharoplasty "opens up" the eyes and give the
face a fresher, brighter, and more youthful and rested appearance. Blepharoplasty may
also be medically necessary to correct conditions of excess overhanging skin that affects
the field of vision. The incisions are made in the natural skin folds of the eyelids, making
them virtually unnoticeable after they are healed.
The upper eyelid operation removes the excessive skin that the eyelashes have been
supporting. Incisions in the upper eyelids are made following natural lines and creases.
If necessary, the incisions will extend into the fine squint lines, or crow's feet, at the outer
edges of the eyes. Once healed, the hairline scars will fade, leaving a very inconspicuous
incision line that becomes virtually unnoticeable after a short time.
Eyelid plastic surgery is usually performed on an outpatient basis using local anesthetic.
Before surgery, your ophthalmologist will perform a comprehensive eye examination and
counsel you about the procedure. Photographs and visual field tests are often required by
insurance companies before surgery to determine if the procedure is medically-necessary.
The answer to whether insurance covers the blepharoplasty procedure depends largely
upon the type coverage you have and the level of benefits your insurance provides. As a
general rule, insurance does not cover cosmetic surgery. However, if the puffiness or
drooping of your eyelids is encroaching upon your field of vision, the blepharoplasty
procedure may be covered as a "medically necessary" surgery. A visual field exam may
be ordered to determine the extent to which the upper lid is interfering with your vision.
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