We all like our eyes to look good as well as to be good at looking.
As we get older our eyes change, most noticeably in the eyelids and skin that surrounds the eye.
Our eyelids are essential in keeping our eyes
healthy but sometimes changes to the eyelids may require surgery.
For example if lids turn in eyelashes will rub against the front of the eye and irritate
the cornea. If they turn out the eye can be exposed to
damage and may water so surgery may be needed to position eyelids properly against the eyeball.
A droopy eyelid which can occur at any age can interfere with your vision.
Surgery may be required to lift the lid to improve vision or in the case of children
to allow their vision to develop normally. As we age excess tears or watery eyes
are often a result of a blocked tear duct that prevents our tears
from draining normally. Surgery to build a new drainage channel is
often the best solution. Surgery to the eyelids and area around the
eye is a specialist field called Oculoplastics. Oculoplastic surgeons also remove skin cancers
near the eye and use plastic surgery techniques to reconstruct the eye tissue so that it heals
well with minimal scarring.
All surgeries carry some risk. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits
of the surgery as it specifically relates to you.
Most eye surgery is done in one day so it's important to have someone that can take you
home afterwards. So, what happens on the day of your surgery?
A great deal of care is taken to make sure that the information
about you is accurate and up-to-date You may be asked more than once about your
medical history and what medications you're currently taking.
Your eye will be marked to alert medical staff when preparing for your surgery.
You will need an anaesthetic. Most eye surgery is done under local anaesthetic,
that is an injection or drops are used to numb the area around
the eye but first a sedative is given to help you relax.
You may feel drowsy, but you will remain conscious, however you should not see or feel anything
during the operation and may not remember it either
Tearduct surgery will take about one hour. Eyelid surgery may take less than this.
Afterwards you'll be taken to a recovery area where you can recover from the sedative.
Your eyelid may be swollen at first, but this should heal naturally over the coming weeks.
An eye shield will protect the eye from accidental injury.
Stitches can be removed about a week after surgery. This can be done at an eye clinic.
Eyedrops or ointment are given to prevent infection and, in some cases, to control the
healing process. Information sheets cover some do's and don'ts
while your eye recovers. The Sydney Eye Hospital performs thousands
of sight saving surgeries each year. The hospital is supported through the fundraising
initiatives of the Sydney Eye Hospital Foundation in the interests of providing quality eye
care for all.