Sagging Eye Lids

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry to admit that my eye lids are sagging. I'm early 40s. I use eye cream twice daily and I don't really have any wrinkles but this other sign of aging seems almost worse and eye cream seems to have no impact. Its so signficant that I had to stop wearing eyeliner b/c my upper lid just rubbed it right off in no time at all. Now I'm down to just mascara and that doesn't provide sufficient definition. (Otherwise I don't wear makeup - just lip gloss.) Is there anything to be done about it besides surgery? Has anyone on this board had this surgery? I had thought that it was quite a simple proceedure but recently read a magazine article that the bruising was signficant, required icing every 20 mintues for days, and recovery period actually lasts at least 2 weeks. I don't think my two toddlers could handle seeing mommy go through that. Any information on the surgery, including where to get it, the cost, any chance of insurance kicking in would be appreciated.

[Anonymous]

My mom had this issue - one of her eyelids drooped so much it started affecting her eyesight. She had the surgery which was relatively painless (although she had to be awake for the whole thing ICK) and the recovery quite quick. She did not have any bruising or other complications.
She now lives in MA but had the surgery down here at an eye center -- I'll ask her the name.

[Anonymous]

OP here: Your mom had the problem - great - that certainly makes me feel even older then I did before! I definitely have an old woman affliction! [Just kidding of course, I very much appreciate you sharing any information you can obtain about this with me. And pleased that it appears it may be simplier then I'd imagined!]

[Anonymous]

Oh sorry! I should have said that she had it done a LONG time ago...I think maybe in her late 40's early 50s and it had been droopy for a long time! I'll let you know when I hear back from her.

[Anonymous]

I have the same issue, as did my mom. I can already tell it eventually will be an issue for my 5 DD too. "Heavy" eyelids run in my family. My mom had the surgery (about 15 years ago) and it was covered by insurance, but she got her doctor to say it was interfering with her vision and driving, etc. I don't remember her saying the recovery was bad (and she even had her, uh, jowls reduced at the same time - that wasn't covered by insurance). There was some minor bruising on her lids but it wasn't bad. My mom's not local so I don't have a recommendation on a doctor, but I'll be watching this thread since this surgery also is in my future.

[Anonymous]

PP here -- I asked my mom and her surgery was done by Dr. Johnston in Leesburg, VA. She raves about him. There's a chance he may have moved ...he'd probably be in his 60s at this point.

This might be him:
Dr. Robert Johnston
Johnston Center For Sight
803 Sycolin Rd SE
Leesburg, VA 20175
Phone: [phone]


Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I too have sagging eyelids and HATE them ( I am 45). But, one of my friends had the surgery and it changed her look for the worse - she doesn't even look like herself. I know that it could be that she had a bad surgeon, but once you do it you can't go back so I am scared to even consider it! Plus, her recovery was terrible and long.

[Anonymous]

Same exact problem here. I just turned 40 last month but this started a few years ago and gets worse all the time. I, too, cannot wear eyeliner without it transferring to below my eyebrow from the overhanging skin. Yuck. I am otherwise NOT old looking and relatively wrinkle free. This drives me crazy and it's much, much worse on one eye than the other. I have begun turning my face for photos to the good eye because otherwise the asymmetry is quite obvious. Of course, in real life (as opposed to for the camera) it just has to be obvious.

I met with a plastic surgeon last year and asked him about an eyelid lift. He looked at me and said he wouldn't want to do anything for 5 more years because on an otherwise youngish face, it might be too obvious. And also suggested there would be a scar at the hairline. That surprised me. I thought, if anything, it would be on the lid or the brow.

I was glad he was honest and not willing to take my money if he didn't think it was worth the result, but I'm not giving up. I'll go back in a few years.