Eyelid Surgery - Ask a Surgeon

I am sorry to hear about your current situation. The issue of ectropion (eck-tro- pee-on) can be painful to endure as well as frustrating to correct. Ectropion is a term that describes loosening or laxity of the lower eyelid. This loosened lower eyelid most commonly results from aging, medical conditions such facial nerve paralysis, heaviness from swelling or a mass, and final it can be due to scarring either from injury and or surgery. Understanding the cause of Ectropion leads to best chance at successful correction.
Treatment may involve any or all of following:
1. Tightening and restoring the shape of the corner of the lower lid by detaching and reattaching the ligaments, placing them in their correct positions. This is called canthoplasty (can-tho-plas-tee)
2. Lifting the corner of the lower eyelid to support and reposition the ligaments without detaching and reattaching them. This is best accomplished with stitching techniques beneath the skin at the corner of the eyelid. This is called canthopexy (can-tho-pecs-ee).
3. Lower eyelid shortening procedure where the lower eyelid has become loose and elongated. Excess amounts of loose lower eyelid is removed to reposition and tighten the lower eyelid.
4. Adding skin, cartilage or mucosa (pink inner lining of eyelid) to the lower eyelid that has been affected by scarring from injury and/or surgery.
Successful repair should be undertaken to prevent the ever present threat to the surface of the globe (eyeball) such as dryness , irritation, and redness. These issues along with the abnormal position of the lower eyelid causes excessive watering known as epiphora (e-pif-ora)
Successful repair of your ectropion may require one of more of these techniques.

Please seek professional recommendations from several board certified plastic surgeons or oculoplastic surgeons.

Thank you so much for your question.

Ectropion is a known complication after lower eyelid surgery; particularly in revision surgery and patients with poor lid support (negative vector, older patient, etc). This complication can lead to chronic dry eyes and photophobia. To combat this, massage can be attempted but is not always successful. If diagnosed preoperatively measure can be take to improve lower lid support (corner stitches also known as cantopexy or even suturing eyes closed with Frost sutures).

That being said, ectropion and dry eyes can still occur. Proper treatment for this can include canthoplasty, canthopexy, or a tarsal strip; all of which can loosely by described as 'corner sutures'.

I would be sure to seek consult with a board certified plastic surgeon who specializes in aesthetic surgery; a member of The Aesthetic Society demonstrates such a surgeon.

Thank you for your question and best of luck!

It is always best to consult with the doctor that performed your surgery but I can tell you that 10 days after back to back surgical procedures is way too soon to pass judgement on your final results. Without even seeing you I am certain that you are edematous (swollen) and that can certainly affect function and shape of your lid. Light massage and compression masks will probably help speed things along but please get your surgeons approval first.

If your brows are low AND you have dermatochalasis of your upper lids, your surgeon should be able to tell and show you what you what each procedure will do for you. My personal preference is to always do the brows first and most like the improved alertness that comes with a browlift. Upper lid procedures can easily be done in the office under local if deemed beneficial down the road.