Are you familiar with ptosis, a condition where the eyelids droop due to insufficient eyelid-opening strength?
At some point, I started to feel that I lacked the strength to open my eyes, and I developed a habit of raising my eyebrows to lift my eyes.
As a result, wrinkles appeared on my forehead and I looked sleepy, giving the first impression of being tired, which led me to decide on the surgery.
The ptosis that was expected to improve seems to have gotten better, but I am experiencing side effects due to a failed surgical result.
I would like to share three side effects currently experienced from eyelid correction.
I hope this will be helpful for those experiencing ptosis or considering eyelid correction surgery.
What is ptosis?
A symptom of drooping eyelids due to insufficient eyelid-opening strength
Causes of ptosis
Congenital (in cases of weak levator palpebrae superioris)
Acquired (caused by aging, trauma, neurological diseases, etc.)
It can occur in one eye or both eyes.
Eyelid drooping symptoms
Frowning with a furrowed brow, causing wrinkles to form on the forehead.
The posture of lifting the chin upward.
Strabismus or diplopia, headache, and skin relaxation occur.
Treatment methods for ptosis
It can be alleviated through eye shape correction (non-incisional and incisional methods available).
What is eye shape correction? What happens after the surgery?
A surgery that strengthens the eyelid-opening muscle by controlling the weakened levator palpebrae superioris muscle.
* Can secure vision due to eyelid drooping
You can improve the impression of looking sleepy and tired.
The habit of raising your eyes can be corrected to prevent forehead wrinkles.
* The habit of lifting the chin when raising the eyes can also be corrected.
The reason I decided on ptosis correction
My eye level and size are uneven.
This is affected by ptosis and the strength of the left eye is weaker.
My left eye looks smaller and my eyelid is drooping.
The photo below is my eye before surgery in the past.
Even though I covered it with eye makeup, false eyelashes, and large-diameter lenses, you can still see that my left eye looks smaller, right?
So my friends also tell me that I have a squint, that one eye appears more prominent in photos, and so on.
I get stressed every time I hear those many words.
I used to look into people's eyes without thinking anything.
Since I kept hearing that my eyes are cross-eyed, I find it difficult to look directly at people when I see them.
I feel like he's only looking at my squint and gradually losing confidence.
When taking a photo (whether someone else is taking it or it's a selfie)
My eyelids drooped, making me look sleepy.
I felt stressed and lost confidence even when taking pictures.
Above all, because the strength to open the eyes is weak, the eyes are opened using the eyebrow muscles.
Since it became a habit, the wrinkles on my forehead have become deeply etched.
It's hard to keep my eyes open and see ahead, and I get tired, so I keep lifting my chin to look forward.
I could look comfortably without opening my eyes wide by holding my chin up and looking forward.
It was my belief that, although it was uncomfortable, I should just live as I am.
An older sister I know nearby suggested I get eyelid correction surgery because my ptosis looks severe.
Among their acquaintances, someone suffering from ptosis underwent eyelid correction surgery.
They told me to do it because it's comfortable to open my eyes and I no longer look sleepy.
In this way, in the past, I appeared sleepy due to ptosis.
I decided to undergo eye shape correction surgery because the wrinkles on my forehead became severe.
It has been 7 years since I had my eye shape corrected.
At first, before the swelling went down and not long after the procedure, the sleepy appearance when opening the eyes also disappeared.
It was my first time having eye surgery, so I was unsure.
I was living without even knowing if this was a side effect.
I experienced side effects severe enough to require a revision of my eye shape correction surgery.
Ptosis surgery side effects
Uneven double eyelids
I originally had double eyelids.
I have double eyelids, but due to ptosis, the height of both eyes was different.
I underwent an incision eyelid correction.
It was said that double eyelid surgery could be performed simultaneously, so I proceeded with the surgery under anesthesia as planned.
When I woke up from anesthesia, I saw that my eyes were covered with blood.
Her eyes were swollen and puffy like sausages.
Oh.. Is this what happens when you get double eyelid surgery? I thought I only had eyelid correction, so I thought it was something different.
I waited for the swelling to go down, and as it was decreasing, I noticed that the size of the double eyelids was different.
It was obvious to anyone.
I thought it was because of swelling and believed it would get better as time passed.
I didn't visit the hospital again at that time.
It was the first time I touched my face, so I didn't know much about it.
So, I am currently living with the eyes that have a double eyelid and are uneven.
Since my double eyelids are uneven, I always have to pay attention to symmetry when applying makeup.
When you take a picture, it's clearly noticeable that they are mismatched.
Even my husband couldn't help but look at my face.
Why are your eyes so cross-eyed? One eyelid fold is bigger than the other? They keep saying that.
I'm so stressed..
I tried to correct my eye shape, but I ended up with an even more pronounced squint.
When looking below, one eye appears higher than the other.
I mentioned that I have a squint above, and it also looks like that when I look down.
Originally, the left eyelid ptosis was more severe, so it appeared smaller.
After this surgery, is the muscle that lifts the right eye higher?
I felt that something was wrong.
When looking down below, the height of the left and right eyes is different.
The white of the eye is visible on the right side, and the right eye appears to be higher.
In the end, all the side effects came with a squint.
I am currently considering whether I can undergo a revision surgery again.
Eyebrow position has changed
This is a side effect related to the reason mentioned above.
My right eye opens more easily and my double eyelid has become more prominent.
It seems that the muscle in my right eyebrow is more developed.
When I just open my eyes without applying any force as usual, my right eyebrow is more raised.
Surely, when I do my makeup, I make sure to draw my eyebrows with perfect symmetry in all directions, right??
From the beginning, this was wrong. You just need to draw quickly without worrying, but to think about vertical symmetry...
I came to work after properly and finally checking everything.
When I looked in the mirror at work, I think my right eye naturally tends to lift more without me realizing.
Because my right eyebrow is raised... I always apply powder to the area above my right eyebrow and then wipe it off.
When trimming eyebrows, I completely shave the upper right part.
So, when I have no makeup on, my right eyebrow looks more drooped (which is definitely not normal;;;).
The conclusion is ㅠㅠ
Due to severe ptosis, eyelid correction surgery was performed.
It was also my first surgery, and I was unfamiliar with ptosis and eyelid correction at the time.
I shared my experience of obtaining a worse result, a more severe squint, which was not a satisfactory surgical outcome.
I am currently working and cannot undergo re-surgery.
Later, when I quit and have more free time
I am planning to share all my past experiences at a really good and well-known hospital and consider undergoing re-surgery.
Honestly, I want to undergo re-surgery right now.
Since I work in the service industry, I can't have eye surgery...
People considering eyelid ptosis correction surgery or interested in eyelid correction.
Look at my experience and make sure to research the hospital properly.
If not treated properly, it can lead to worse strabismus and decreased self-esteem...
Even if the swelling hasn't gone down completely and your eyes look uneven or there are issues, don't just brush it off thinking it'll be fine like I did—please take action.
Go to the hospital unconditionally...
And even if you undergo eyelid correction, it does not completely eliminate ptosis.
There may be side effects like mine.
There are cases where the eyelid correction wears off and a reoperation for ptosis is necessary again.
So, I am sharing my experience because I hope you will properly research before undergoing surgery.