Patient Photos

Unilateral Lower Eyelid Tightening and Midface Lift to Correct Paralytic Ectropion

This Seattle eyelid surgery patient was referred to Dr. Lamperti by her optometriest to see if she was a candidate for reconstructive surgery to correct her severely droopy left lower eyelid. Lower eyelid drooping can occur relatively commonly due to the aging process, but this patient had suffered a permanent facial nerve paralysis on that side which weakened all of the muscles of the left side of her face causing a severe deficit. She was interested in first addressing her lower eyelid drooping which caused her eyelid to hang too low and roll outward (ectropion) and also prevented her from fully closer her left eyelid. This causes significant issues with chronic dry eyes which was also affecting her cornea (creating scarring). If left untreated this problem could ultimately cause permanent vision damage to the eye. The patient was a very good candidate for a lower eyelid tightening procedure. Thomas Lamperti, MD performed a left sided lateral tarsal strip procedure along with a midface suspension (cheek lift). The surgery was done using an incision placed in a crows foot crease. This allowed Dr. Lamperti to gain the necessary access to isolate the lower eyelid tendon (lateral canthal tendon). After trimming the tendon to shorten it somewhat, Dr. Lamperti used a suture to reattach the tendon to the sidewall of the eye socket (lateral orbital rim) thereby lifting and tightening the lower eyelid. Through the same crow's foot crease Dr. Lamperti also used a suture to lift the cheek mound and perform a midface lift further elevating the droopy facial tissues in the area. In the 13 month after photos you can see how the patient now has a markedly improved lower eyelid position which matches nearly exactly the position of the right eyelid. The patient's dry eye and tearing symptoms are much improved and she can now fully close her left eye keeping her cornea much more protected and well-moisturized.