Ptosis Surgery Singapore: Here’s what you need to Know before Having a Ptosis Surgery

You can benefit from ptosis surgery in Singapore if you experience complications with muscle, heavy skin, or even fat on your upper eyelids. You can also benefit from this operation if you have drooping eyelids that result from nerve damage or poor muscle tone.

Therefore, ptosis surgery is a surgical procedure that’s performed to tighten the muscle responsible for lifting your upper eyelid. If your upper eyelid was impacting your vision, you should notice an improvement in your vision after this procedure. Similarly, if you had a drooping eyelid making you look tired or sad; you should also notice an improvement in how you look alert, with a vibrant, youthful appearance when you fully heal from this surgery.

What does Ptosis Surgery Involve?

Ptosis surgery is usually performed when the patient is under a local anesthetic or sedation, so you can expect to be given anesthetic treatments before the operation. Depending on whether you wish to have just one upper eyelid or both operated on, you can expect this treatment to take between 45 and 90 minutes.

For the procedure, your cosmetic surgeon may use either the external approach, internal approach, or the Frontalis sling fixation technique. The choice of ptosis surgery technique your surgeon will recommend usually depends on what they make of the diagnostic results from your levator muscle strength tests.

Here’s a quick roundup of what you may need to know about these techniques.

  • The External Approach

Also known as the levator advancement, this procedure is majorly reserved for people with stronger levator muscle function. For this technique, the plastic surgeon will make an incision on your eyelid.

They will then proceed to reposition the levator muscle attachment by stitching it to the tarsus. Tarsus is a connective tissue inside your eyelid. By stitching your levator muscle attachment to the tarsus it will get tightened. This will be effective in not only giving your eyelid a lift but also improving both your aesthetic appeal and vision.

  • The Internal Approach

The internal approach for ptosis surgery in Singapore is also primarily reserved for people who have strong levator muscle function. If you’re approved for this ptosis operation technique, the oculoplastic surgeon will have to turn your eyelid inside out and then proceed to shorten the levator muscle from inside the eyelid. Either way, they may also shorten the Mueller’s muscle, another muscle responsible for lifting the eyelid if your preference is only to have less of your eyelid lifted. 

  • The Frontalis Sling Fixation

The Frontalis sling fixation approach is majorly recommended for persons with ptosis and poor muscle function. For this technique, the surgeon will be attaching your upper eyelid to the frontalis muscle to lift your eyelid. The frontalis muscle is a large muscle that extends upward across your forehead. Its role is to elevate the eyebrows.

What should I do after Ptosis Surgery?

The recovery timeline from a ptosis surgery may take up to three months. It happens in stages, and you may need to understand these stages, so you know what to expect as you recover.

Here are a few things you can expect as you recover from a ptosis surgery in Singapore;

For the first 24 to 72 hours, you can always use ice compresses according to your surgeon’s prescription to manage discomfort and swelling. You will also need to ensure that the surgical site is clean always. 

Ideally, you may need to clean it on an average of four to six times each day according to your oculoplastic surgeon’s recommendations until when you will have the sutures removed. The sutures are typically removed after about seven days.

If you were schooling or actively involved in work, it is recommendable that you take some time off as you heal. You should refrain from intense exercises but can do light exercises like stretching or walking. 

Do not engage in any exercise that requires you to bend or keep your head below your heart. You can resume regular activities after around 3 to 4 weeks. You should fully be healed after 90 days.

Here are the essential things you can do after Ptosis surgery to speed up your recovery;

  • If you drink alcohol, we recommend that you discontinue drinking it as it may impact your healing process following the procedure. Ideally, your surgeon will advise you to stop it a few days before the operation’s scheduled date.
  • If you’ve been using contact lenses, it is also recommendable that you stop wearing them until your doctor gives you the green light to do so.
  • Keep off any blood-thinning medications and supplements for at least seven days following your surgery.
  • Since your eyes will have increased sensitivity after the operation, we recommend that you wear sunglasses to protect them.
  • Finally, it would also be better if you don’t smoke or rub your eyes. Smoking would also significantly increase your risks of complication after ptosis surgery in Singapore.

Final Word

We provide comprehensive surgical treatments for both aesthetic and medical needs. Now that you know what’s involved in ptosis surgery, let us know if you’d wish to know more about the procedure or would wish to have this procedure. Leave us a message or call us today.