From Lazy Eye Orbital Translocation Surgery to Brow Lifts and Everything in Between

Orbital trauma and certain medical conditions including tumors can cause a host of facial deformities. Simple accidents, severe burns, and common illnesses or medical procedures affect the vision and facial appearance of millions of individuals each year. In other cases, serious medical conditions require immediate treatment to prevent vision loss or further complications. For individuals affected by facial disfigurement, deformity or disease involving the eye area, the field of Oculoplastic Surgery can provide comfort and relief.

Oculoplastic surgery encompasses repair or reconstruction of the eye, eyelids and tear ducts as well as the bone surrounding the area (the orbit) and the socket. From lazy eye orbital translocation surgery to brow lifts, oculoplasty offers solutions.

Ophthalmic plastic surgeons are highly specialized ophthalmologists trained in plastic surgical procedures. As ophthalmologists, they are fully qualified to evaluate the myriad conditions that can affect the eyes and orbital area. In addition, they are also able to perform any number of the wide array of cosmetic and vision corrective procedures appropriate for treatment.

Ophthalmic plastic surgeons can diagnose and correct amblyopia through traditional strabismus surgery, or perform complex lazy eye orbital translocation surgery depending on their patients’ needs. The additional years of focused, detailed training gives ophthalmic plastic surgeons the expertise and experience to handle virtually anything. Among countless other procedures, ophthalmic plastic surgeons may perform:

• Lacrimal (tear duct) surgery


• Ptosis repair


• Ectropian or entropian repair


• Orbital decompression


• Enucleation or evisceration (eye removal procedures)


• Implantation of ocular prosthesis or prosthetic eye


• Blepharoplasty


• Brow plasty


• Laser resurfacing

Oculoplastic procedures can help patients with a host of severe medical conditions as well as more purely cosmetic ones. In the case of facial fractures, the eye commonly sinks too far into the orbit resulting in restricted eye movement or vision loss in addition to disfigurement. Reconstructive surgery can help. Alternatively, tumors may cause the eyes to protrude. In this case, surgery may help reduce the risk of infection, alleviate uncomfortable eye irritation or eliminate the dryness protruding eyes may cause. It can also help prevent vision loss.

Many cosmetic procedures must fall within the realm of oculoplasty, too. Correcting sagging or drooping eyelids or eliminating wrinkles near the eyes may be purely cosmetic procedures, but they still require a specialists’ knowledge of the entire eye and orbital area and their expertise in performing such surgeries. Whether ophthalmic plastic surgeons are performing vision saving surgeries, cancer removal procedures, or “simple” brow lifts, the procedures are challenging and require a great deal of precision and training.

Laser and computer technologies have advanced the field of oculoplasty considerably in the past few decades. Patients can now benefit from faster, more precise procedures, quicker healing times, and less pain. Surgeries that were previously too complex to be performed are now available. Board certified oculoplastic specialists practice in or around every major city in the world. For individuals seeking relief from disfiguring or discomforting eye or orbital conditions, the field of oculoplasty has much to offer.