Oculofacial Plastic Surgery

Precision is key when it comes to plastic or reconstructive surgery around your eyes, which are delicate and have many small structures around them that are vital to your eye health. At Center for Advanced Eye Care in Vero Beach and Fort Pierce, Florida, the team of specialty-trained ophthalmologists offers oculofacial plastic surgery for cosmetic and reconstructive purposes. To set up a consultation for oculofacial plastic surgery, call the practice or book online today.

What is oculofacial plastic surgery?

Oculofacial plastic surgery is a subspecialty of ophthalmology. It involves the surgical restructuring of the skin, subdermal fat, and tissues that surround your eyes, like your eyelids, forehead, brows, and other areas of the face for cosmetic or reconstructive purposes.

Getting cosmetic or reconstructive surgery from an ophthalmologist might sound unusual, but it’s beneficial when dealing with the facial structures around the eyes. Your oculofacial plastic surgeon at Center for Advanced Eye Care has extensive knowledge about the anatomy of your face and eyes, and they receive years of specialized training in microsurgery. 

The structures within and around your eyes are very delicate, so oculofacial surgery is more complex than other cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries like breast augmentation or a tummy tuck. 

What can oculofacial plastic surgery accomplish?

Oculofacial plastic surgery is often a strictly aesthetic procedure, but sometimes it can help reconstruct part of your face or treat certain conditions of the eye and nearby structures. Your ophthalmologist might recommend it, or you can inquire about oculofacial plastic surgery to meet your own goals. 

A few of the most common purposes for oculofacial plastic surgery are:

• Treating eyelid or facial muscle spasms
• Reconstructing the eye area after a traumatic injury
• Removing tumors or other growths from near the eye
• Correcting anatomical abnormalities (e.g. drooping eyelids)
• Reducing features from aging, like wrinkles and fine lines

Sometimes, you can address issues like these without getting surgery. For fine lines and muscle spasms, for example, Botox® injections are a great option for treatment. Center for Advanced Eye Care also offers dermal fillers for larger wrinkles and other cosmetic purposes. 

How should I prepare for oculofacial plastic surgery?

The entire process of getting oculofacial plastic surgery starts with a detailed consultation at Center for Advanced Eye Care. During this visit, your oculofacial surgeon might map out your anatomy using X-rays. They also take plenty of photos of your face from multiple angles. They ask about your goals and give you the opportunity to ask questions of your own. 

Next, your oculofacial surgeon describes your specific surgery in detail after they plan it. At this point, they also give you instructions to follow in preparation for the surgery. Depending on the specific technique, the team might tell you to:

• Stop taking medications that thin your blood, like aspirin
• Stop using certain supplements
• Stop smoking
• Make arrangements for a ride to your appointment 
• Request time off from work to recover

Following all of the team’s instructions to prepare for surgery sets you up for a smooth, complication-free recovery. The team tells you how long you can expect your recovery to take based on the surgery you’re getting. 

To learn more about different types of oculofacial plastic surgery, request an appointment over the phone or online at Center for Advanced Eye Care today. 

What is Oculofacial Plastic Surgery?

Oculofacial plastic surgery is a surgical sub-specialty of ophthalmology that includes cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the eyelids, brows/forehead, and face. In addition to surgical means of improving facial appearance, non-surgical techniques such as neuromodulators (Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin) and dermal fillers (Restylane and Juvederm) are also utilized. Oculofacial plastic surgeons are also experts in the treatment of disorders involving the tear drainage system, growths/skin cancers around the eyelids and face, and treatment of orbital disease including orbital trauma, orbital tumors, and thyroid eye disease.

Who are Oculofacial Plastic Surgeons?

Oculofacial plastic surgeons are board-certified ophthalmologists, that have years of unique microsurgical training performing surgeries on the inside of the eye and on structures around the eye. After completing a residency in ophthalmology, oculofacial plastic surgeons then complete additional training focused on aging changes and pathology of the eyelids, orbit, brows, and face. These fellowships are extremely competitive and there are only 20 positions a year available between the United States and Canada that are accredited by the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS), the governing body for oculofacial plastic surgery.

Where can I find an Oculofacial Plastic Surgeon?

-The Center for Advanced Eye Care is proud to have both Dr. Mallon and Dr. Blandford, the only fellowship trained oculofacial plastic surgeons in Indian River County.

-Dr. Blandford is the only plastic surgeon in the community to complete a 2-year ASOPRS accredited fellowship, which he completed at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute in Cleveland, Ohio.

Why should I see an Oculofacial Plastic Surgeon?

If you or a family member are considering eyelid surgery or surgery around the eyelids and face, you owe it to yourself to see an expert. Oculofacial plastic surgeons limit their practice to surgery on the eyelids, brows, orbit, and face and have years of advanced microsurgical training. This advanced training and commitment to precision translates to the fine delicate structures of the eyelids and face as opposed to surgeons that may specialize in other plastic surgery procedures such as breast augmentation and abdominoplasty.

Also, as ophthalmologists, oculofacial plastic surgeons have the greatest insight into the anatomy of the tissues around the eye and perform minimally invasive, naturally appearing surgeries to ensure protection of the eye itself.