Treating Puffy Eyelids

By Soheila Rostami, MD

When a person looks in the mirror each morning and sees that their eyelids are puffy and can barely open, they often consider cosmetic surgery for correction. During the daytime, the eyelids may get gradually better, but they still can be puffy and unattractive.

There are a few conditions that may cause puffy eyelids blepharochalasis (a loss of elasticity in the eyelid skin), kidney diseases, and aging are just a few. All four eyelids can be puffy, or they can be puffy individually. If only one eyelid is puffy, you need to be evaluated by an ophthalmologist immediately, since it could be a sign of infection or a tumor in the orbit or eye socket

Puffy eyelids due to aging are related to the fat around the eye coming forward, or displaced anteriorly. As we get older, there are changes in our collagen fibers, and in the eye, there is a sheet of collagen fibers that holds the fat that cushions the eye in place. As we age, this sheet gets loose, gives in, and the fat finds its way to the front part of the eye from the back of the eye. It shows as a swelling under or above the eyelids, thus creating puffy eyelids

There are many creams and potions that promise to get rid of puffy eyelids, but none of them really work effectively. These creams provide only temporary reduction of the appearance of puffy eyelids.

The best treatment for puffy eyelids is elective surgery. Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) resolves most puffy eyelids. In upper eyelid blepharoplasty, the excess skin is removed with the excess fat. In the lower eyelid blepharoplasty, the excess fat is removed from inside the eyelid and can be repositioned to resolve the “hallo look.” Redundant skin of the lower eyelid can be removed, as well.

To learn more about upper and lower eyelid blepharoplasty, please read my previous Your Health Magazine articles (available on yourhealthmagazine.net) discussing those procedures.

When considering upper and/or lower eyelid blepharoplasty for the treatment of droopy eyelids, it is recommended that you choose a board-certified oculoplastic surgeon. This is typically an ophthalmologist who has been certified in plastic surgery in and around the eyes. It is very important for a surgeon to be familiar with the eyes and their functionality to best perform upper and lower eyelid surgery, especially for the treatment of droopy upper eyelids.