Cosmetic Orbital Decompression Surgery (for bulgy eyes)
Bulging eyes (aka proptosis or exophthalmos) is when the eyes can appear larger and, at times, disproportionate to the rest of the face. Often, bulgy eyes can be painful, exposing the eyes to too much air and foreign objects. Bulging eyes may be present from birth and are more prevalent among certain ethnicities. While the same bulging eyes may be abnormal in one ethnicity/race, they may be normal in another. Bulgy eyes can be symmetric or asymmetric with only one side involved or one eye worse than the other side.
Proptosis (bulging eyes) or appearance of bulgy eyes can result from a variety of causes, including:
- Graves’ or thyroid eye disease
- Orbital tumors
- Genetics (Inherited)
- Shallow orbit (shallow eyes socket)
- Sunken cheek bones
- Large Myopic Eyeballs
- Relatively large eye when compared to sunken opposite eye
Treatment for Bulging Eyes
The treatment for proptosis or bulging eyes is orbital decompression surgery. The procedure can be performed for functional or rehabilitative reasons, as bulging eyes can cause eye irritation, redness, and tearing from increased exposure of the eyeballs to air and/or an inability to close the eyes fully. Orbital eye socket surgery sets the eyeballs back by removing bone and/or fat from behind the eyeballs through small, hidden or inconspicuous incisions. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis.
Cosmetic Orbital Decompression Surgery
Surgery for protruding (bulging) eyes can also be performed for cosmetic or aesthetic purposes for those who are unhappy about the appearance of their eyes or the way they look in proportion to the rest of the face, either due to disease or inherited. Usually, the degree of orbital surgery needed for aesthetic reasons is less than that required for functional reasons and hence it is even safer. As stated earlier, cosmetic orbital decompression surgery for bulgy eyes is performed on an outpatient basis, where the patient goes home after surgery.
Read a Manuscript by Los Angeles' Dr. Taban about Orbital Decompression Surgery.
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Read Dr. Taban's Manuscript about Combined Orbital Decompression and Eyelid Retraction Surgery.
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IMPORTANT NOTE: Relatively hollow area around the eyes can also make the eyeballs appear bulgier. Therefore, a substitute procedure or additional complimentary procedure is filling around the eye with either fat or filler. Filler injection to improve sunken appearance around the eye is a nonsurgical option for the right candidate.
Who is a Candidate?
- Inherited proptosis (bulging eye) such as shallow eye socket, sunken cheekbone, etc.
- Acquired proptosis (bulging eye) such as thyroid eye disease.
- Apparent proptosis from relatively sunken opposite eye.
- Apparent proptosis from large myopic eyeball.
- Hyperglobus (higher eyeball position compared to opposite eye).
Intended Result
- More natural appearing eye(s), in proportion to the face.
- Better symmetric eyes (if asymmetry present prior).
- Improved or normal eye closure (if problem present prior).
Procedure Description
- Orbital decompression surgery is done on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia. It takes anywhere from 45 minutes to 90 minutes to complete the procedure on each side, depending on the anatomy and how much decompression is needed.
- The incision is hidden in the upper eyelid crease and/or inside the eyelid and/or caruncle.
To learn more about bulgy eye surgery visit, Medscape.com.
Recovery after Eye Socket Surgery
- Bruising and swelling usually subside within 10-14 days.
- Minimal to moderate pain for the first day, controlled by oral pain medication.
- Vision is intact since no patches are used.
- Nonabsorbable sutures are removed 1 week after surgery while absorbable sutures are left alone.
- The patient can resume normal activity after about 7-10 days.
- Eye makeup may be used following healing of the incision.
- Contact lenses can be worn when comfortable (usually after 7-10 days).
Dr. Taban is an experienced orbital decompression surgeon. He has an oculoplastic surgeon with specialized training in eyelid, orbit, and lacrimal surgery. He has offices in the greater Los Angeles area (Beverly Hills and Santa Barbara). Contact us today.
Before and After Photos
*See disclaimer below
Before (left), 24 year old female, with severe bulgy eyes and lower eyelid retraction from Grave’s Disease, with significant change in eye appearance and function. After (right), 1 month after bilateral orbital decompression surgery and lower eyelid retraction surgery. Note improved eye appearance.
Before (left), 24 year old female, with severe bulgy eyes and lower eyelid retraction from Grave’s Disease, with a significant change in eye appearance and function. After (right), 1 month after bilateral eye socket surgery and lower eyelid retraction surgery. Note improved eye appearance.
Before (left), 24 year old female, with severe bulgy eyes and lower eyelid retraction from Grave’s Disease, with significant change in eye appearance and function. After (right), 1 month after bilateral orbital decompression surgery and lower eyelid retraction surgery. Note improved eye appearance.
Before (left), 24 year old female, with severe bulgy eyes and lower eyelid retraction from Grave’s Disease, with significant change in eye appearance and function. After (right), 1 month after bilateral eye socket surgery and lower eyelid retraction surgery. Note improved eye appearance.
Before (left) and 3 months after (right) orbital decompression surgery.
Middle age male, with thyroid eye disease, who underwent eye socket surgery followed later by lower eyelid retraction surgery and canthoplasty.
Before (left) Middle age Indian male with inherited bulgy eyes. 3 months after (right) he underwent bilateral cosmetic orbital decompression surgery.
Before (left) young Middle-Eastern male with bulging eyes, lower eyelid retraction with sclera show, and sad eyes. 3 months after (right) he underwent cosmetic orbital decompression, lower eyelid retraction surgery, and canthoplasty to give more almond-shaped eyes.
Before (left) young Middle-Eastern male with bulging eyes, lower eyelid retraction with sclera show, and sad eyes. 3 months after (right) he underwent cosmetic orbital decompression, lower eyelid retraction surgery, and canthoplasty to give more almond-shaped eyes.
Before (left) and 3 months after (right) cosmetic eye socket surgery and fat injection around eyes
Before (left) and after (right) orbital decompression surgery
Young girl with inherited bulgy eyes (from large myopic eyes). Note eyeball anterior to brow bone (right) and 2 months after cosmetic eye socket surgery (left). Note the eyeballs are now posterior to brow bone. (In future, she would benefit from filler or fat injection around eyes).
34 year old female, with bulging eyes from Graves disease, underwent combined orbital decompression surgery plus lower eyelid retraction surgery plus orbital rim (tear trough) implant placement. Before and 6 weeks after surgery results are shown. You can see her video testimonial on our website testimonial page and her surgical video on specified procedures
34 year old female, with bulging eyes from Graves disease, underwent combined orbital decompression surgery plus lower eyelid retraction surgery plus orbital rim (tear trough) implant placement. Before and 6 weeks after surgery results are shown. You can see her video testimonial on our website testimonial page and her surgical video on specified procedures
34 year old female, with bulging eyes from Graves disease, underwent combined orbital decompression surgery plus lower eyelid retraction surgery plus orbital rim (tear trough) implant placement. Before and 6 weeks after surgery results are shown. You can see her video testimonial on our website testimonial page and her surgical video on specified procedures.
18 year old female teenager, with rare childhood Graves disease resulting in bulging eyes and change in eye shape, underwent orbital decompression surgery and lower eyelid retraction surgery. Before and 2 months after surgery results are shown. You can find her video testimonial on our website testimonial page.
18 year old female teenager, with rare childhood Graves disease resulting in bulging eyes and change in eye shape, underwent orbital decompression surgery and lower eyelid retraction surgery. Before and 2 months after surgery results are shown. You can find her video testimonial on our website testimonial page.
18 year old female teenager, with rare childhood Graves disease resulting in bulging eyes and change in eye shape, underwent orbital decompression surgery and lower eyelid retraction surgery. Before and 2 months after surgery results are shown. You can find her video testimonial on our website testimonial page.
Next, learn about Orbital Decompression Surgery (Thyroid Eye Disease/Graves’ Disease).
*Disclaimer: Results vary from patient to patient. Results are not guaranteed.