What is a Blepharoplasty (BLEF-uh-roe-plas-tee) & What to Expect From My Appointment and Procedure?

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What is a Blepharoplasty (BLEF-uh-roe-plas-tee) & What to Expect From My Appointment and Procedure?

August 27, 2022

What is Blepharoplasty (BLEF-uh-roe-plas-tee) & What to Expect From My Appointment and Procedure?

Eyelid surgery is not just a procedure for people who are worried about their drooping lids—it can actually help improve peripheral sight that’s been restricted by excess skin. Drooping lids can block peripheral vision and limit your visual field. A simple oculoplastic procedure, called a blepharoplasty, to lift your lids can help restore your range of vision.

What is a Blepharoplasty (BLEF-uh-roe-plas-tee) & What to Expect From My Appointment and Procedure?

Blepharoplasty is a type of surgery that removes excess skin from the eyelids. With age, eyelids stretch, and the muscles supporting them weaken. As a result, excess skin and fat can gather above and below your eyelids. This can cause sagging eyebrows, droopy upper lids and bags under the eyes.

A lid lift surgery such as a blepharoplasty might be right for you if you have excessively baggy eyelids that hang over the tops or sides of your eyes. Our experienced ophthalmologists will examine your eyes and your lids to see if you appear to be a good candidate. They will take photos of your lids from multiple angles as well. After that, a simple visual field test will determine how much of your peripheral vision is being blocked by your eyelids. You will also need to be able to lie mostly or completely flat safely and comfortably for the procedure. If your lids block your peripheral vision and you can have the procedure safely, you are a good candidate for eyelid surgery.

Once you have been cleared for the procedure, one of our experienced surgeons will discuss the process and its risks to you in detail. You will then talk with one of our surgery coordinators and pick out a surgery date. You will need to stop taking blood-thinning medications and some herbal supplements a couple weeks before your surgery. Day of surgery, your lids will be carefully numbed, then your surgeon will remove the excess skin and tighten your upper lids. The procedure typically takes one to two hours. You will be given a sedative, so it is important to have arranged transportation.

After your surgery, you’ll be able to go home to recuperate. Avoid rubbing your eyes and be sure to apply your ice packs to reduce swelling around your lids. You may experience bruising and swelling, giving you temporary “black eyes.” Limit your activities and take it easy for a few days as well. Avoid any heavy lifting for at least a week. Follow-up appointments will make sure the surgery was successful and you don’t have any problems with your lids.

There’s no reason to accept heavy, droopy lids or decrease peripheral vision when it can be prevented. Don’t let your lids get in your way! Our team at Shipp & Wooten Eye Center will help you determine if a lid lift procedure is right for you. Contact us for more information or an appointment at Shipp & Wooten Eye Center. Simply call (662) 286-2020 today.

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Headaches? Migraines? Botox treatments are not just for wrinkles anymore.

August 20, 2022

At Shipp & Wooten Eye Center we have found that many of our patients have found relief from chronic migraines with Botox® injections. If you have fifteen or more headache days each month with migraine pain that lasts four hours or more, and regularly miss work or activities you enjoy because of debilitating migraine symptoms, there’s an effective alternative to taking headache and migraine prescription medications each time you feel a migraine coming on. Discover why Botox® may be the best proactive solution to managing your migraine pain. Botox® is the most prescribed branded chronic migraine treatment. Surprising, isn’t it? Most people think of Botox® as a cosmetic injectable that smoothes out fine lines and wrinkles across your forehead and around your eyes. While Botox® is certainly an effective anti-aging treatment, it’s also an FDA-approved chronic migraine therapy. When your provider at Shipp & Wooten Eye Center injects Botox® into seven specific muscle areas in your head and neck, the botulinum toxin — a neurotoxin that occurs in nature — helps reduce migraine pain for the next 12 weeks. How Botox® works to help you manage migraine pain? Botox® for migraines is a preventive medication. You don’t wait until you have symptoms to take it, but rather it helps prevent migraines from starting in the first place. Initially, you begin with two Botox® treatments spaced about 12 weeks apart. After your initial two Botox treatments, if you’re having fewer headaches each month, then you can continue receiving Botox injections every 12 weeks, or as your health care provider at Shipp & Wooten Eye Center recommends. During each appointment, your provider injects Botox® into the muscle groups of your head and neck. The needle is so tiny that you feel something similar to a pinprick, but nothing really painful. The injections aren’t deep either, so discomfort is minimal and temporary. Botox® goes just below your skin into the targeted muscle groups. The medication enters the nerve endings that contribute to your migraine pain. There, the botulinum toxins block the release of chemicals that transmit pain signals to your brain. As a result, the pain networks that usually come to life with the onset of a migraine no longer activate, so you don’t feel the usual pain and migraine symptoms. Botox® for migraines could cut your headache days in half. After a series of Botox® injections for migraine pain, you may have up to eight to nine fewer headache days each month. For many women and men, that’s like cutting your migraine symptoms in half — especially if you suffer from 15 or more headache days each month. Imagine waking up ready to take on the day more often than not, thanks to Botox® injections for migraine pain. When it comes to dealing with migraines, would you rather rely on prescription medications you take as soon as you feel symptoms coming on, or are you ready to try a more preventive approach with simple Botox® injections you only need every three months? We invite you to learn more about Botox® for migraines by scheduling a consultation today. Call our friendly office staff at the Shipp & Wooten Eye Center or request an appointment online.