What we treat
Eyelids, tear ducts and orbit
- Ptosis (droopy eyelid)
- Entropion & ectropion
- Chalazion & eyelid lumps
- Watering eye (DCR)
- Eye socket & prosthesis
What is oculoplasty?
Oculoplasty is the branch of eye surgery that treats the structures around the eye — the eyelids, the tear drainage system and the eye socket (orbit). These protect the eye and keep its surface healthy, so problems here can affect comfort and vision as well as appearance.
An oculoplastic surgery is planned around both: restoring how the eyelids and tear ducts work, and keeping the face natural and symmetrical.
Eyelid conditions
Ptosis (droopy eyelid)
An upper lid that sags over the eye, present from birth or developing with age. In children it can hold back the development of vision; in adults it can narrow the field of view. Surgery tightens or supports the lifting muscle.
Entropion
The lid margin turns inward so the lashes rub the eye, causing irritation, watering and possible damage to the cornea.
Ectropion
The lid sags or turns outward, leaving the eye exposed, dry and watery.
Trichiasis
Misdirected lashes that grow towards the eye and scratch it.
Chalazion and eyelid lumps
A chalazion is a painless swelling from a blocked oil gland. One that does not settle can be removed by a minor procedure; other lumps may be sent for testing.
Excess eyelid skin (dermatochalasis)
Heavy, folded upper-lid skin that can weigh on the lashes and block the upper field of vision.
Watering eye and tear ducts
Tears drain from the inner corner of the eye through a small duct into the nose. When this passage is blocked, tears spill over the lid, and the stagnant sac can become infected and swollen.
Blocked tear duct in babies
Common, and often opens on its own with massage. When it does not, a simple probing clears it.
Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR)
For adults with a blocked duct: a new passage is made from the tear sac into the nose, so tears drain normally again.
Eye socket (orbit)
Injuries
Repair of eyelid cuts and fractures of the bones around the eye.
Thyroid eye disease
Care of the bulging eyes and eyelid changes that thyroid disease can cause.
Artificial eye
Where an eye has been lost or is blind and painful, surgery prepares the socket for a well-fitting artificial eye (prosthesis).
An eyelid that suddenly droops, a lump that grows or bleeds, or swelling around the eye with fever should be seen promptly.
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer Botox injections?
Yes. Our oculoplasty services also include radio-frequency cautery assisted surgery and orbital tumour surgery.
How long does a Botox injection last?
Its effect usually begins within a few days and lasts about three to four months, after which it can be repeated if needed.
Will eyelid surgery leave a visible scar?
Cuts are placed in the natural creases of the eyelid wherever possible, and eyelid skin heals well, so the scar usually fades until it is hard to see.
Will I be put to sleep for the surgery?
Most eyelid and tear-duct operations in adults are done under local anaesthesia, as day care. Children usually need general anaesthesia.
How long does recovery take after eyelid surgery?
Swelling and bruising usually settle over one to two weeks. Cold compresses, the ointment you are given, and a follow-up visit — for stitch removal if needed — are part of it.