| In 2005, blepharoplasty or cosmetic eyelid surgery | | | | closing the eyes, dry eyes, excessive tearing, and |
| was listed as the third most popular surgical | | | | scarring. |
| procedure among men and women by the | | | | “Complications of eyelid surgery, while rare, |
| American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery | | | | can cause prolonged healing, change in or loss of |
| (ASAPS). Over 230,000 operations were | | | | vision, unpleasant - looking and painful scars, the |
| performed in the United States alone. | | | | inconvenience and cost of further surgery, and |
| In the United Kingdom, the same procedure | | | | the possibility of requiring eye drops or ointment, |
| proved to be even more popular. A similar survey | | | | temporarily or permanently,” warned the |
| showed blepharoplasty was the second most | | | | people at |
| popular surgical procedure for both men and | | | | Take the case of John McGill, 52, from |
| women with an increase of over 50 percent in | | | | Cambridgeshire, England, who was assured that |
| the number of cases from the previous year. | | | | eyelid surgery was simple and wouldn’t take |
| “Cosmetic surgery is more popular than ever. | | | | long. True enough, he left the surgeon’s office |
| Moreover, it is no longer just for the rich and | | | | after 25 minutes and that’s when his troubles |
| famous. More and more people everyday are | | | | began. |
| opting for plastic surgery to improve their looks | | | | "There was a lot of swelling and my eyes were |
| and hopefully their lives,” according to an | | | | sore, itchy and very red. With just the slightest |
| article in the web page of the Hilton Head Regional | | | | breeze, they would start watering. I went back to |
| Medical Center in South Carolina. | | | | the clinic and the surgeon just said to give it time |
| In blepharoplasty, fat, excess skin, and muscle are | | | | but matters didn't improve," he told the BBC |
| removed from the eyelids to lift drooping upper | | | | News. |
| eyelids and reduce puffy eye bags that form | | | | Eighteen months after the operation, McGill |
| under the eyes. Upper and lower eyelid surgery | | | | consulted an eye specialist at Norfolk and Norwich |
| can be done at the same time. The procedure | | | | University Hospital who told him what was wrong: |
| costs anywhere from $1,500 to $7,000 and can | | | | too much skin had been removed from his lower |
| be done in a hospital, surgical center or office. It | | | | eyelids. It took two more operations to correct |
| normally lasts from one to three hours using | | | | this defect after which McGill sued the erring |
| general or local anesthesia or sedation. | | | | surgeon. He eventually got a six-figure settlement |
| Like other surgical methods, however, | | | | but only after his case dragged on for years. |
| blepharoplasty has risks and complications, and not | | | | “It is just unbelievable that surgeons are able |
| everyone will benefit from the procedure. Among | | | | to operate like this. The clinic I went to was a well |
| the many possible bad things a patient can | | | | respected high street outlet, not a back street |
| experience after the operation are bleeding, | | | | job,” he told the BBC. |
| blindness, blurred vision, double vision, difficulty | | | | |