Blepharoplasty
Blepharoplasty (surgery on the eyelids) is a common procedure for both men and women. It can be either a cosmetic, elective procedure to restore a more youthful and less tired appearance, or performed to address reduced vision from sagging or drooping eyelids, which tend to occur with increasing age. An eyelid lift may be done alone or in combination with other surgeries, such as a brow lift or facelift. Blepharoplasty is performed under local anesthesia in an outpatient setting. The surgeon makes tiny cuts into the natural folds of the eyelids to remove loose skin and extra fat tissue and tightens the eyelid muscles. Eyelid surgery will not remove wrinkles around the eyes, lift sagging eyebrows, or get rid of dark circles under the eyes. The eyelids will be covered with ointment and bandaged, and they may feel uncomfortable and sore as the numbing medicine wears off.
Why UAB
UAB Ophthalmology has more than 25 physicians, many of them named among the top doctors in their fields nationally. Our ophthalmologists who perform cosmetic eye surgery have received additional training in plastic surgery and are experts in conditions and treatments of the delicate eye area. They are renowned for their advances in eye care, breaking through old ways of treating blinding eye diseases and revolutionizing many areas of ophthalmology.
Ophthalmology care at UAB is located in UAB Callahan Eye Hospital, one of the busiest eye hospitals in the country, where specialists work together to treat complex cases. The UAB Callahan Eye Hospital surgical suite houses nine operating rooms dedicated to eye surgery as well as a 24/7 eye emergency room, which is the region’s only Level I ocular trauma center. More than 11,000 surgeries are performed at UAB Callahan Eye Hospital each year, and we conduct more reconstructive eye surgeries than any other facility in the world. Patients come from around the nation to be treated for eye conditions at UAB.
Through ongoing research and clinical trials, UAB continues to make great strides in the field of ophthalmology. In addition to our physicians, we have a team of vision scientists who are fully dedicated to researching causes, preventions, and cures for eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Many UAB ophthalmologists have received funding from prestigious research organizations and institutions and collaborate in clinical care to deliver the latest in scientific discovery to our patients.Images and Videos
The Red Eye: What Primary Care Physicians Need to Know
See how UAB’s Bioptic Driving Program is paving the road for those who are severely nearsighted to get behind the wheel safely.
Giving Patients Freedom to Drive
To Dustin Jones, the bioptic driving program at UAB provides one very important benefit: freedom. He has a congenital eye disease called optic atrophy which had prevented him from getting a driver’s license at age 16. Jones got his driver’s license at 19 with the aid of a bioptic telescope and the UAB Driving Assessment Clinic in the Department of Ophthalmology.
Improving the detection of glaucoma
Glaucoma is a silent disease. It does not hurt, symptoms are slow to develop, and most people do not notice any loss of vision until it is too late. A project by ophthalmologists at UAB are examining whether a partnership with community-based optometrists will improve detection and treatment of glaucoma, especially for high-risk populations.
UAB Callahan Eye Hospital helped save a young baseball player’s career and, most importantly, his sight.
Baseball Eye Injury
College baseball player Meade Kendrick was nearly blinded by a batted ball during a practice drill. The ball hit directly on Kendrick’s left eye resulting in a severe closed-globe injury to the eye. See how Meade's vision was restored by UAB Ophthalmologist Doug Witherspoon, M.D. at the UAB Callahan Eye Hospital.
After being hit in the eye with a bottle rocket, Dianne Peterson underwent sight-saving surgery at UAB Callahan Eye Hospital.
Fireworks Eye Injury
Dianne Peterson was just a bystander when a firework hit her in the eye on July 4th. The damage to her left eye was severe. Instead of celebrating, she had eye surgery at midnight. See her story of caution.


Related Conditions
This procedure may be used to treat or diagnose several different conditions. We have listed some of these conditions below for your convenience. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list and may vary depending on your specific diagnosis.
CLINICAL TRIALS
UAB is an active participant in research and clinical trials for Blepharoplasty. We encourage you to speak to your physician about research and clinical trial options and browse the link below for more information.
View Clinical TrialsMore from UAB
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- Genome: Unlocking Life's Code
Do you have your mother’s dimples? Or your father’s hairline? What makes us, us? And how much of it actually sets us apart from every other living thing on Earth?
Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code begins to unravel the mystery behind the complete set of instructions needed for every living thing on Earth to grow and function: the genome. Discover how your genome could be the key to maximizing your future quality of life as genomic science helps open the way to more personalized healthcare. See yourself in a new way: as an individual, as a member of a family, and as part of the diversity of life on Earth.
Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code opens January 19 at McWane Science Center and was made possible in part by financial support secured by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health. The exhibit is sponsored by UAB Medicine, which is using its knowledge of the human genome to advance the field of precision medicine, an exciting approach to health care that combines the absolute latest in the prediction and prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease to deliver truly individualized patient care.