Rudy suffers from Ptosis, a condition that makes his eyelids appear droopy. A jovial and fun individual, he found that it was hard for him to express himself properly especially at work or social settings since everyone got the impression he was constantly tired and uninterested. Wanting to change this, he decided to get corrective surgery done. The following is a transcription of his video.
Hi, I am Rudy. I am 40 years old, working in the bank. I have a problem with my eyes, which are droopy eyelids.
When did you discover you have droopy eyelids?
Since secondary school, it’s been a little more obvious. But I actually did LASIK on my eyes. Even with that, my eyesight wasn’t very good and still continued to deteriorate.
So when I visited the eye doctors, different ones at different stage of time, they also spotted the ptosis issue.
Does anyone in your family have droopy eyelids?
My granddad. He actually fixed this problem at the age of almost 80 years old and it’s pointless because at that time, the muscles have degenerated to the point where even with the surgery, it didn’t help.
So I thought, for me, I should do it earlier. And guess what, the results are pretty awesome.
Are droopy eyelids affecting your life?
I always come across as being very sleepy and tired. It’s not cool if you know like you want to perform academically or in a professional stage, right? So yes, people do have that impression even though I am not tired.
Describe the experience of having the surgery of droopy eyelids. What was it
like?
Well, it was quite painless to be honest. Other than the fact that when they administered the anaesthesia through the needle. After that, it was quite painless. By the time I know, it’s already done.
How long did you take for recovery?
Approximately 2 weeks. I believe I recovered well. I took really good care. I took leave and rested a lot at home. I was able to remove the stitch within 2 weeks.
What advice would you give other people in a similar condition as you?
Do not have the misconception that ptosis is a plastic surgery. I think these are two very different things. Ptosis is a medical condition where you have the degeneration of the eyelid muscles and that affects your vision because your eyelids cover your eyes, you get lesser light in.
With ptosis surgery, it helps you to pull it back up so this is a very different thing from having a very specific eye shape. Or this is basically a medical treatment correction.
Ptosis / Droopy Eyelid Surgery – Before & After
Thanks for watching this video. I’m very happy to share the positive results of the surgery today. And if anyone is actually battling this condition where you have droopy eyelids, I will strongly recommend you to explore with your doctor, consult your doctor and see whether a ptosis surgery is actually something that you would need to correct your droopy eyelids.
Additional Info
For those of you who are also considering Ptosis surgery, here’s some helpful info to help you out.
PTOSIS SURGERY – WHAT IS PTOSIS?
Ptosis is an eye condition described as the drooping of the upper eyelid and can affect one or both eyes. Due to the obstruction caused by the drooping upper eyelid, part of an individual’s vision will be obstructed, preventing clear sight. In Singapore, many people have and suffer from drooping eyelids.
Causes of Ptosis
Droopy eyelids can be classified into two types: congenital ptosis (present at birth) or acquired ptosis (present after birth). In the case of congenital ptosis, maldevelopment of the levator muscle responsible for lifting the upper eyelids can result in the affected eyelids drooping. Ageing is also another cause, due to wear and tear of the levator muscle. It is also possible to develop Ptosis through the wearing of contact lenses, or from receiving direct impact to the eyes.
A more rare cause for Ptosis is a stroke, brain tumour or cancer of the nerves or muscles. Neurological disorders that affect the nerves and muscles of the eyes can lead to Ptosis as well.
SYMPTOMS
An individual may try to ‘compensate’ for the lids of their eyes drooping by naturally tilting their head or chin backwards slightly to allow more light to enter their eye. This can result in neck and head problems in the future. Having untreated Ptosis also puts an individual at risk for acquiring Amblyopia, also known as ‘lazy eye’. One eye ends up having better vision than the other. Astigmatism and Strabismus (crossed eyes) might also develop.
Aesthetic concerns may arise from the loss of the eyelid crease that may happen in some cases, and may require a plastic surgeon to remedy the eyelid muscle in the upper eyelid that is not functioning as it should.
Some individuals might not even be aware that they suffer from Ptosis, as they just simply ‘adapted’ or ‘got used to’ to their drooping eyelid(s). Regular eye checks from a qualified ophthalmologist can help early identification of Ptosis. The ophthalmologist will also advise if a surgical procedure for ptosis correction if the drooping is found to be severe enough.
COST OF PTOSIS SURGERY SINGAPORE
Since Ptosis is classified as a medical condition and treatment done for it is not considered an ‘aesthetic’ treatment but instead a medical treatment, Ptosis correction surgery and cost is covered by Medisave in Singapore, and is insurance claimable.
This is in contrast to ‘aesthetic’ treatments attributed to plastic surgery, thought to be done for ‘vain’ reasons. This means that a substantial part of the cost of Ptosis surgery could potentially be covered, leading to reduced cost. The subsidy is very significant, as ptosis correction surgery costs in Singapore can go down by more than 50% on an otherwise costly procedure. In most cases, you actually end up paying very little compared to the original cost.
Not all doctors will tell you this though, as I had a friend who called more than 4-5 clinics and did not get any mention of this until she got to Allure Plastic Surgery. Plastic surgeon, Dr Samuel is a proven name and they will give you more information on the claimable aspects of ptosis when you ask them.
PTOSIS TREATMENT OPTIONS
Ptosis is often treated with surgery. Usually, excess skin is removed from the drooping eyelid(s), and minor adjustments to the levator muscle are made. In some severe cases, the strengthening of the levator muscle may be necessary.
The surgery is usually performed under local anaesthesia. Local anaesthesia prevents you from feeling pain from the procedure temporarily by numbing the area of the incision. You will still be conscious during the procedure.
Before surgery, it is vital that you inform your doctor of any medications you are taking, as there may be contraindications present with the mixing of the anaesthetic and the medicines you are taking.
WHAT IS PTOSIS SURGERY SUCCESS RATE?
Surgeons also generally try to aim for perfect symmetry between the eyes, but may not be possible in all cases. However, moderately excellent to excellent results should be expected post-surgery.
In some cases, Ptosis surgery may be unable to perfectly correct all functions of the eye, especially in abnormal muscle cases. The eyelid may be unable to fully close when closing the eyes, present even during sleep. This is a consequence of a birth defect and not the fault or negligence of the surgeon.
Your surgeon will adequately discuss with you the pros and cons of the treatment prior to surgery, and inform you of what to expect, and of possible unintended consequences. Make you get an experienced doctor in Singapore for your ptosis surgery.
