The phrase eye surgery usually brings to mind the corrective surgeries for vision that are performed just on the eye itself. Yet there are certain medical conditions and cosmetic surgeries that require the specialized skills of an oculoplastic surgeon. Oculoplastic surgery deals specifically with the eyelid, orbit of the eye, and the tear ducts for either reconstructive or corrective surgery. Mehryar (Ray) Taban, MD, has experience in both reconstructive and cosmetic oculoplastic surgery and is proud to practice in the greater Los Angeles area.
Oculoplastic Surgery Benefits
Oculoplastic surgery can be used to deal with many medical conditions that arise from aging, injuries, disfiguring birth defects, and even conditions caused by the thyroid, specifically Graves’ disease. These conditions may show up as drooping eyelids, tear duct blockage, and in some extreme cases bulging and protrusion of the eyes. Many of these conditions can be irritating and/or affect one’s vision, making oculoplastic surgery medically necessary. Dr. Taban has not only trained for an extra two years to be able to specialize in this field of medicine but is also an assistant clinical professor of Oculoplastic Surgery at UCLA, teaching these specialized techniques to future surgeons.
Some conditions that benefit from oculoplastic surgery are:
Ptosis: This condition is the drooping of the upper eyelid caused by aging, contact lens wear, injury and sometimes cataract or other eye surgeries. Ptosis can interfere with vision in extreme cases, in which oculoplastic surgery is necessary.
Brow ptosis: A drooping of the eyebrow that could potentially affect your vision. Though it is considered primarily cosmetic, brow ptosis could interfere with your everyday vision and should be seen by an oculoplastic surgeon.
Entropion: With this condition the upper or lower eyelid turns inward, causing the skin and eyelashes to rub against the eye. May result in redness, irritation, excess tearing, crusting of the eyelid, mucous discharge, foreign bodies in the eye and decreased vision.
Ectropion: The lower eyelid sags and turns out, creating exposure of the eyeball. The usual causes of this condition are aging, injury, eyelid growths or facial paralysis. Ectropion may cause tearing, redness, crusting of the eyelid, mucous discharge, irritation, diminished vision and even scarring of the cornea.
Eyelid growths: These growths can be generally benign but could eventually become malignant. Make sure to check with your doctor to see if removal and testing are the right choice for you.
Blockage of the tear duct: This condition may appear at birth, or as a result of injury, disease or infection. Symptoms of tear duct problems include pain, chronic tearing, crusting and watering or discharge. If surgery is required, a new “bypass” route (called DCR) may be constructed to connect the upper tear ducts to the noise for drainage of tears.
Reconstructive surgery: For those who have suffered from injury, burns or birth defects, oculoplastic surgery should be included in any reconstructive treatments and procedures.
Blepharoplasty: This procedure corrects excessive skin on the upper or lower eyelids and bags or extra fat above and below the eyes. It may be considered purely cosmetic but the benefits may include less irritation in and around the eye area.
Surgery is not the only option offered at Dr. Taban’s practice. Injectables, such as Botox®, are a viable option in the treatment of twitching and spasms around the eyelid. If you suffer from any of these conditions or are concerned about a developing issue related to the area surrounding the eye, contact Dr. Taban for any Los Angeles oculoplastic surgery questions and become educated in all of the available treatments and procedures.
Contact Dr. Taban’s Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgery Practice Today
Those who are trained in oculoplastic surgery are not only experienced ophthalmologists but also skilled plastic surgeons. Dr. Taban has the knowledge and technical skills to make sure the delicate area around your eyes are protected while being operated on. For all your Los Angeles oculoplastic surgery needs, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Mehryar (Ray) Taban today! You can contact his office by calling 310-278-1836.