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Preoperative consultation key before blepharoplasty
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KOLOA, Hawaii — Identifying a patient’s goals and expectations prior to surgery is essential to successful upper eyelid blepharoplasty, according to a speaker here.
“The time I spend in the preoperative phase of my procedure, I think of it, as a whole, as the most important time to make sure I’m on the same page as the patient and I get it right for them,” Femida Kherani, MD, said at Hawaiian Eye.
Femida Kherani
Preoperative discussions should rule out body dysmorphic disorder, blepharoptosis or brow ptosis, as well as include information regarding skin abnormalities and keloids, she added.
Assessing a patient’s desires regarding creases, amount of tarsal plate exposure and whether fat needs to be removed or added is also necessary, she said, especially because beauty standards, while universal in some ways can vary between cultures.
“Communicate clearly about expectations and limitations of surgery and, of course, surgery has to reflect the patient’s ideals of beauty.”
In addition, a Schirmer’s test to assess dry eye should be completed before surgery, and possible complications such as bruising, wound dehiscence, hyperpigmentation, hollowness, asymmetry and webbing should be discussed with the patient.
“Don’t be scared to say no” to a prospective patient who will not achieve the desired results, Kherani said. – by Rebecca L. Forand
Reference:
Kherani F. Upper eyelid blepharoplasty. Presented at: Hawaiian Eye; Jan. 14-20, 2017; Koloa, Hawaii.
Disclosure: Kherani reports she is a speaker for Allergan and Merz.