<p>I’m paying–insurance doesn’t cover. I can go to either one. I’m leaning toward the young guy.</p>
<p>Barring personal recommendations, pick who you feel better about. Both should be fine, but you might as well enjoy the side conversation. </p>
<p>@conmama,
This is what I would recommend to you:
- Make sure that you see an oculoplastic surgeon instead of a plastic surgeon or facial plastic surgeon.
You may have underlying ptosis besides just the overhanging skin. An oculoplastic surgeon can evaluate whether you have a ptosis component and repair (ptosis repair) that in addition to your skin (blepharoplasty). A ptosis repair would make your eyes look bigger and usually plastic surgeons and FPS cannot repair ptosis. RGP contacts (and soft contacts also, I’m thinking about writing a scientific paper on this) can make your eyelids droop (i.e. cause an aponeurotic ptosis) in a separate process that is just the extra skin drooping over from gravity and/or brow descent. - Bring photos of your yourself, taken 15-20 years prior, to show your previous full upper lids and to discuss your goals on your first visit or on the day of surgery.
- I spend lots of time discussing with a full-lidded pt whether they want to keep the full look or go for a deeper, more sculpted look after surgery. If a previously full eyelided pt wants them deeper, I don’t go totally crazy because I want to make sure that he/she still looks like “his or herself” after surgery
- There is always a small risk that the eyelids don’t fully close after surgery. In fact, many pt’s eyelids don’t close fully before surgery as well. I always point this out to the pt before surgery if this is present. As long as the patients eyeballs roll upwards when they close their eyes (most pt’s do, I evaluate this also) then they will usually be fine
- I’ve never had a pt that could not wear RGPs after blepharoplasty, and I’ve done thousands of them
- To find an oculoplastic surgeon in your area, go to <a href=“http://www.asoprs.org”>www.asoprs.org</a></p>
<p>@bromfield2,
What is your surgeon charging you for the earlobe repair?
I presume that it is from dangling earrings rather than from the large disc earrings?</p>
<p>YoHo, Thank you so very much. I cut and pasted your response in a word doc to keep. I had to google Ptosis, and I don’t have that. My eyes are very much open, my little eyelids don’t droop at all (just that upper eye). I was thinking I want to look the same as I did at 35, and if I have more upper eyelid like then, that it will just guarantee more that I can close my eyes as i will have more skin there still like I used to (is that correct thinking?) I take my eyes after my Spanish father. He actually just had to have surgery at age 85 because they were drooping so much it was blocking too much of his vision on the sides, so I see that coming. I figure I might as well do it soon while the rest of my face feels relatively taut. Thankfully, I have his skin, too. It’s just sort of making me look tired now. I closed my eyes and tried to roll my eyes upward, but with my contacts I don’t want to do that right now…I’ll try tonight but I think I will be fine. Too bad I’m not in LA…would go to you! I was in your neck of the woods in June, 10 day PCH vacation with family. Started in Santa Monica for 3 nights, worked my way up to SF. LOVED Santa Monica, had dinner at Nikita Malibu.</p>
<p>@conmama,
Blepharoplasty will help you retain a more refreshed appearance by removing the extra skin that is hanging over and almost touching your eyelashes.
Having surgery will NOT help you “close your eyes” better. Also, you don’t have to try to roll your eyes upwards, it is a natural reflex that you do not need to control such as blinking.
So glad that you enjoyed Santa Monica, PCH, SF!!</p>
<p>Good luck today, Consolation.</p>
<p>THanks, GA2012MOM. 
I am home, feeling fine albeit a little numb in weird places and looking a bit like Frankenstein, prepared with an audiobook to listen to while I ice for 15 minutes every hour. Everything went very smoothly, and I arrived at 6:45 and was out before 9. (Good thing about being the first patient of the day.) The doctor remarked, when marking me up to delineate what would be removed, “You <em>really</em> need this. With some people it’snot so clear.”</p>
<p>Try to take it easy for next few days. I used frozen peas to ice my eyes.</p>
<p>My 78 year old mother had hers done a month ago with a quick and easy recovery. Apparently it is the *in" surgery going around her senior community these days!</p>
<p>I hope the same holds true for me. Right now, my eyelids look like pieces of liver. (Sorry if this is TMI! )</p>
<p>They are going to look scary for few days, but it will get better. Have faith. </p>
<p>Al I can say is, if this is what one looks like while faithfully icing 15 minutes per hour, I truly hate to think what it would look like without it. X_X </p>
<p>On the upside, I can report that it doesn’t hurt in the slightest. It just feels weird.</p>
<p>Sending hopes for speedy healing.</p>
<p>One of the Ellebud children took daily pictures of me. Think booking photos…I looked terrifying for the first week. Honestly: now…I look like me, about 5 to 10 years younger. I would do it again, and will at some point in the future. </p>
<p>I had a couple of consultations: first with a plastic surgeon who charged $150 for the consultation and quoted upper and lower lids at $8425(!). Then I went to an optohomologist / oculofacial plastic surgeon with a much higher consultation fee who says I need a brow lift, muscle tightening, and eyelid skin removal, plus the lower lids. He thinks that insurance will cover all except the lower lids and we’re waiting to hear back from them. The lower lids will cost me $4500(!!!). After reading this thread the prices seem way over the top. What am I missing? Can I find prices in other areas without going in for a consultation?</p>
<p>My consult was…$20.,which is our normal copay. When Ms. Ellebud had nose fixed she went to one consult that was $500. Daughter truly disliked him. She went to a different doctor.</p>
<p>My insurance paid for 80% of the eye surgery and we paid for the rest of the procedures. I gotta say that my doctor who is board certified and within walking distance to our house…and the prices that I see here are astounding…higher that I expected. Much higher.</p>
<p>When I consulted with the doctor he told me they accepted whatever the patient’s insurance allowed. In my case, that turned out to be $2,565, covering both surgeon fee and facility fee. (The initial bill for both was $5,600) I don’t know what they charge people who are uninsured, but most likely it is the full $5,600. (Many people who like to complain that THEY are paying for the uninsured do not realize that the uninsured are typically billed MUCH more than the insured.) Apparently the anesthesiologist will bill separately. This was for both top lids.</p>
<p>I have to pay this out of pocket, since it is below my deductible, but it seems like a bargain compared to some of the prices others are being quoted. (Of course, it depends on one’s insurance company agreeing that it is a justified procedure. In my case, 30% of my vision was blocked.)</p>
<p>Prices are going to vary considerably by area and competitiveness of the market is a huge factor if we are talking about cosmetic surgery where the patient pays in cash or credit. I think it’s about $3500 around here but haven’t priced it lately. Consultations are usually free.</p>
<p>How are you doing, Consolation? Is the swelling starting to diminish? Are you starting to get a sense of what the results will be like?</p>