Eye lid surgery is often performed to correct the position of an eyelid which may have become floppy with old age.

There are 3 main reasons for eyelid surgery other than cosmetic surgery.

Ectropion

Ectropian is an outward turning of the eyelid caused by the lid becoming loose with age. The eyelid lower eyelid then falls away from the eyeball and causes the eye to water. The eyelid can be correctly repositioned using a local anaesthetic procedure to tighten the eyelid and restore its normal position. This often reduces the watering of the eye as well. There are other causes of eye watering which may need to be investigated.

Entropian

Entropian is a condition caused by loosening of the eyelid with age. In this condition the eyelid rolls inward and the eyelashes rub the front surface of the eye. This is due to a weakness of the eyelid muscles pulling the eyelid out and can be very uncomfortable.

If allowed to continue it can cause the eye to get badly scratched and to occasionally to become infected.

The eyelid position can be restored with a small operation under local anaesthetic. This corrects both the looseness of the eyelid and strengthens the muscles pulling the eyelid away from the eye.

Lid lump removal

Eyelid lumps can be caused by a number of different diseases. They can be caused by a virus which leads to a wart. The can also be caused by a blocked gland which can lead to a cyst formation. While these lesions can be unsightly they are not serious and a small operation under local anaesthetic can removal the lesion within minimal potential complications in most instances.

Occasionally these lumps can be caused by skin cancer. If this is the case then they can often be removed with a slightly larger operation under local anaesthetic.