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FAQ
 Blepharoplasty Ptosis Canthoplasty Reconstruction Botox Fillers |
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat do Botox treatments consist of? What do Botox treatments consist of? Botox treatments are non-surgical procedures used to reduce or soften the deep lines around the eyes or forehead. The procedure is performed easily and safely with a few injections of very low doses of Botox that relax the muscles that cause the deep lines to form. Botox, a purified, diluted form of botulinum toxin type A, is a protein produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. Normally, the brain sends electrochemical messages to the body's muscles to make them move. These messages are transmitted from a nerve to the muscle by a substance called acetylcholine. Botox works by blocking acetylcholine to the facial muscles responsible for the development of dynamic lines. Following a Botox injection, the muscles gradually become relaxed allowing the overlying skin to appear smooth and unwrinkled. Why should I go to an ophthalmologist for Botox treatments? No one knows eyelid and eye anatomy better than an ophthalmologist. Ophthalmologists have a unique understanding of the eyelids, brows and orbit, which most other physicians using Botox do not have. Knowledge of the orbital muscles is key to good results when using Botox around the eyes. Ophthalmologists and ocuplastic subspecialists have been using Botox for blepharospasm (involuntary spasms of the eyelids), strabismus (crossed eyes), and hemi-facial spasm since 1989. Following treatments, ophthalmologists noted that forehead and eyebrow lines were lessening in appearance in those patients receiving Botox. This led to further research, which confirmed the effectiveness and safety of the Botox vaccine for use in improving wrinkles due to overactive muscles of the face. In Spring 2002, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Botox "to temporarily improve the appearance of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows." What can I expect during a Botox treatment? Your ophthalmologist will determine exactly where to administer the tiny injections in order to achieve the best results. No sedation or anesthesia is required, and there is no special recovery period necessary. The entire procedure takes approximately ten minutes. Discomfort is minimal and brief, mild bruising may occur at injection sites, but they may be easily covered with makeup. The result of the injection usually becomes apparent within 2 to 4 days. The effect of a Botox injection generally lasts four to six months. What ophthalmic diseases and disorders involve plastic and reconstructive surgery? Graves' Ophthalmopathy is a thyroid-related disorder that causes inflammation of the eye muscles, which enlarge within the eye socket. As a result, the eyes bulge and/or stare; the eyelids retract and often cannot close; and the eye's surface dries and becomes uncomfortable. The swollen muscles can exert pressure on the optic nerve and threaten vision loss, the most serious consequence of Graves' disease. Graves' disease demands a multispecialty approach, often involving strabismus, oculoplastic and reconstruction expertise, as well as the skills of a neuro-ophthalmologist, a radiation expert, and an endocrinologist. When other medical therapies fail to reduce muscle swelling, special procedures can:
Plastic and reconstructive surgery offers other important therapies for specialists treating patients with complicated glaucoma. Filtering surgery, for example, reduces pressure within the eye, but usually creates a "bleb" (blister) on the eye's surface. If this bleb is exposed, the eye is at risk of serious infection. If the bleb is large, it can affect the eyelid's function. In either case, surgical adjustment of the eyelid allows it to function well and protects the bleb - without affecting the pressure control benefit of filtering surgery itself.
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