Oculoplastics is a general term for surgeries involving plastic and reconstructive surgery of the structures around the eye and other facial tissues. These include the eyelids, eyebrows, forehead, cheeks, orbit (bony cavity around the eye), face, and lacrimal (tear drain) system.
Common oculoplastic procedures:
- Ptosis correction. Ptosis is the medical term for droopy eyelids.
- Blepharoplasty. Dermatochalasis is the term for excess skin hanging over the eyelashes
- Eyelid reconstruction. Usually needed after trauma or cancer.
- Facial nerve weakness (Bell’s Palsy). Weakness of facial nerve will lead to weakness and drooping on one side of the face.
- Eyelid malposition. The eyelids need to be in a normal position to ensure eye protection. Common malpositions include ectropion (eyelid turning out), entropion (eyelid turning in) and retraction (eyelid pulling down).
- Eyelid lesions. This includes chalazia (styes), cysts, skin tags and moles, as well as more serious lesions like skin cancer.
- Blocked tear duct surgery. Nasolacrimal duct obstruction (blocked tear duct) can occur for many reasons and often requires surgery in the form of a dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR).
There are many reasons a person may need to undergo oculoplastic surgery. These surgeries are often done for functional reasons, but are also done for cosmetic purposes.