Which examinations should be done before the surgery?
Before the operation, the medical consideration of the operation should be clarified.
Preparation for the operation
- The most important preparation before the operation initially consists of a detailed examination of the drooping eyelids: underlying diseases, such as thyroid dysfunction (including Graves’ disease), should be excluded at an early stage. Surgery on the drooping eyelids only makes sense if all triggers have been eliminated and the drooping eyelids still do not recede as desired. An examination of the eyes themselves, in particular of the visual field, should also be carried out to find possible medical considerations for the operation.
- Subsequently, the preparation is mainly focused on the search for a suitable clinic: the slip lid operation can basically be performed by doctors from two different disciplines.
Namely, by specialists in ophthalmology and plastic surgery. Ideally, affected persons should inform themselves in advance about how often the operation will be performed at the respective specialist center. Experience reports from the Internet or personal contacts can also play an important role in the choice of clinic.
- For the day of the operation itself there is often little preparation to be made, as it is a short outpatient procedure and usually no inpatient stay is necessary during the treatment: the operation is normally performed under local anesthesia, but twilight sleep can be induced by medication if desired.
In this case, it is recommended to come to the operation on an empty stomach (without prior food intake). However, the exact procedure should be discussed in consultation with the operating center. After the operation, it is usually not allowed to drive a car, so it should be organized in advance how to get home from the operation and who can support you in the first hours after the operation.
Procedure of the surgery
The course of the operation depends on the procedure used. There is a choice of surgical correction of the drooping eyelids and a laser procedure.After the preliminary examinations, a local anaesthetic is first applied to the eyelid to be operated on. Usually both eyes are treated in one operation session, therefore anaesthetic injections are placed on both upper eyelids.
After a few minutes the agent should take effect, this is checked by touching the eyelids. At the request of the affected person, an additional medication can be used, with which one is put into a twilight sleep. In this way, one does not notice anything of the operation, but still does not have the risk of general anesthesia.
In hatch-lid surgery, the area to be operated on is first marked, then the incision can be made on the eyelid using a laser or scalpel. To avoid conspicuous scars after the operation, the incision is made in a naturally existing eyelid furrow. Thus the scar is hidden in an already existing depression of the eyelid even after the operation.
After the incision, excess tissue is removed from the eyelid. This includes connective tissue as well as fatty tissue and muscle mass. In addition, a little skin must usually be removed so that the eyelid can be tightened afterwards. Afterwards, the previously performed incision is sutured in the already mentioned eyelid crease, so that the overall result is as unobtrusive as possible.
