Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, is an operation which corrects drooping eyelids as well as bags and bulges about the eyes. These conditions develop as a result of laxity of the eyelid skin and protrusion of fat around the eyes. It is not limited to older patients, as many individuals inherit a predisposition toward development of fat pouches at an early age.
Surgical correction is appropriate for all age groups.
In some cases, the condition will be caused by other medical problems such as allergy or thyroid disorders. In these patients, the proper treatment may be medical rather than surgical. The age range for eyelid surgery is wide because of the various factors that predispose to the condition. Younger patients who have surgery usually have it because of an inherited condition in which the fat deposits push against muscle wall of the eye resulting in early bulging. Older patients generally seek surgery because of sagging of the eyelid skin as well as because of bulging fat.