The oculplastics ophthalmologists at The Eye Institute of West Florida primarily treat the eyelids and the skin around the eyes and face. Our fellowship-trained oculoplastic specialists are experts in eyelid surgery, brow lifts, injectables and laser skin resurfacing.
Our team offers patients compassionate care in a comfortable environment.
Oculofacial Plastic Surgeons are ophthalmologists that specialize in eyelids, the tear system, the orbit (the bony cavity surrounding the eye), and the face. There are only about 20 ophthalmologists each year that are selected for this specialized training in this field.
Oculoplastic services are comprised of procedures, surgeries, and treatments to the soft tissue and bone in relation to the facial muscles, eyelids, and orbital anatomy. Our specialists provide medically necessary and cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures for the eyes, face, and skin to patients throughout Tampa Bay.
Our oculoplastic specialists are experts in medically necessary plastic and reconstructive surgery including:
Ptosis is the medical term for drooping of the upper eyelid. Droopy eyelids in general occur when the edge of the upper eyelid falls from its normal position and is usually occurs as we age. There are no risk factors for ptosis. However, sagging skin can be exaggerated when you have other underlying conditions such as puffy eyes, allergies, swelling, or inflammation and as a result of a stroke or trauma.
The eyelids are frequently the first indicators of aging. Droopy and puffy eyelids can make you look tired, angry or older than you feel. Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) can rejuvenate the eyelids for a more youthful, natural appearance and restore vision that once may have been partially blocked by excessive skin.
Eyelid surgery is a procedure to reshape the eyelids for either functional and/or cosmetic purposes. Removing, repositioning or reshaping excessive skin and underlying fatty tissue around the eye may give patients improved peripheral vision and a more youthful appearance. Eyelid surgery can leave the skin around your eyes looking and feeling firmer, well-rested, and years – even decades – younger.
Eyelid surgery usually takes 40 minutes to a little more than an hour, depending on the number of procedures scheduled. These procedures may be done awake or with sedation, depending on your personal needs and desires.
To lift and tighten both the upper and lower eyelids and to contour fat deposits, discreet incisions are made in the natural folds and creases of the lids. Excess fat, muscle, and skin may be removed. During lower eyelid surgery, the incision is made inside the eyelid. Excess fat and skin are removed or repositioned as necessary. Scarring is minimal and the incision lines typically fade within a few months of surgery.
Sagging forehead tissue can begin as early as age 30. Gravity’s effects manifest with brow heaviness and wrinkles between the eyebrows (glabellar or scowl lines) and furrows across the central forehead.
A brow lift is a plastic surgery procedure that can reverse these changes by raising the eyebrows to a higher and more aesthetic position, opening the eyes and softening aging furrows across the forehead and between the eyebrows. A brow elevation can be accomplished using a variety of procedures (see FAQ) which are tailored to the patient’s desired result, hairline, position, and hair thickness.
A brow lift does not take the place of an eyelid lift to improve baggy eyelids, puffy eyes, or crows feet. Consider eyelid surgery or wrinkle treatments for these problems.
Any brow procedure can be combined with eyelid surgery, cosmetic facial filler or BOTOX® Cosmetics for more dramatic results. We will be glad to discuss your options and recommend the right procedure based on your age and goals. Be sure to inquire about a chemical brow lift using BOTOX®.
Scaring from a brow lift may be on top of the head or in front of the hairline, depending on the technique chosen.
Brow lift may be performed in several ways. There are three commonly used techniques The options are coronal lift, endoscopic lift, and subcutaneous lift.
A coronal forehead lift involves an incision across the top of the head, from ear to ear. Through this incision, our doctorscan alter the muscles (frontalis, procerus, and corrugators) that cause horizontal forehead wrinkles and scowling. After doing this, our surgeon will actually remove about a 1-2 cm strip of your scalp and sew the remaining scalp together.
Although this may sound gruesome, it is the oldest and most reliable technique in brow lift surgery. The main disadvantage is that you will be numb on the top of your head for about six months, after which time the sensation usually returns. This technique also raises your hairline, which can be a problem for those with a high forehead who also wear their hair back. The advantages of this technique are that it is lasting (it will not have to be repeated as you age, with very rare exceptions). Also the scars are concealed behind the hairline and are not seen after they heal (unless you are a man with a receding hairline, in which case you should not have this kind of brow lift).
Endoscopic forehead lift involves four to six short (one inch) incisions behind your hairline. Through these small incisions, our doctors inserts and endoscope which has a tiny camera on the end. This allows her to see under your skin without making a long incision across the top of your head. Through this technique, our surgeon will be able to do most of the things that can be accomplished through a coronal lift with a few notable exceptions. Our surgeon will be able to weaken the scowl-causing muscles but will not be able to directly alter the muscle that causes horizontal wrinkles. Also, our surgeon can lift your forehead, but does not remove the excess scalp. She merely shifts it upward and backward on your skull. To secure your scalp into its new position, our surgeon may drill small hole into your skull and place tiny screws (which later are removed or which are absorbed by your body). Even with these screws, because excess scalp is not removed, there exists greater potential for your forehead and brows to droop 
after an endoscopic lift. (Relapse is most common in those with very droopy brows and very deep creases.) Because endo lifts have only been performed since 1995, no one knows exactly how long the results last. Finally, endo lifts, like coronal lifts, raise your hairline, but (unlike coronal lifts) they do not cause temporary numbness on top of your head.
Subcutaneous forehead lifts are the least commonly performed of all brow lifts. In this technique, our surgeon makes an incision across the top of the forehead, where your hairline begins. The same muscle alterations performed through a coronal lift are possible through this operation, as well. Excess skin is removed. Because the incision is in front of the hairline, your hairline will not be moved higher (unlike the other two techniques). Consequently, you will not have numbness on top of your scalp. The major disadvantage of this technique is that it leaves a scar across the top of your forehead, which can be highly visible. To conceal your scar, you will need to wear your hair forward. If you are wearing your hair forward, then it doesn’t matter as much how high your hairline is because your hairline will not be visible. Hence, you could have had a coronal lift or endo lift in the first place.
BOTOX® Cosmetics is a purified protein that when strategically injected relaxes muscles that can cause wrinkling. Typical targeted areas are horizontal forehead lines, crow’s feet wrinkles, smile lines and the frown lines between the eyebrows. The result gives skin a smoother appearance that can last for several months. Clinically proven to be safe, BOTOX® Cosmetics injections are ideal for those patients who are more interested in a gentle refinement of the face that may prevent future wrinkling.
Considering a brow lift? Then consider a brow lift with BOTOX®. The BOTOX® brow lift is a technique that plastic surgeons use all the time. The frontalis and obicularis oculi muscles are “antagonistic muscle pairs” for eyebrow position – when one contracts the other relaxes – changing the eyebrow position. A small amount of BOTOX® just under the brow can create a subtle lift of the brow, opening the eyes gently, and allowing for a more refreshed and rejuvenated appearance, all without invasive surgery! The skill of injecting BOTOX® requires the understanding of the anatomy of the antagonistic muscle pairs in the face and injecting the right amount of BOTOX® in the right places to control the position of the eyebrows.
Laser skin resurfacing can clear imperfections in the face including age spots, acne, wrinkles, scars, blotches, redness and Rosacea. During laser skin resurfacing, the laser safely removes the top layer of skin to allow new skin cells to form a tighter, more youthful-looking surface.
After consulting with one of our Aesthetics Specialist and you decide to go ahead with the procedure, certain precautions must be observed. If you are a good candidate for laser skin resurfacing, you must take additional precautions before the procedure: Tell your doctor if you get fever blisters or cold sores around your mouth because the procedure can trigger breakouts
Refrain from taking certain types of medications and supplements that can affect blood clotting including ibuprofen, aspiring and vitamin E. Smoking can prolong the healing process so refrain from smoking before the procedure
Your Aesthetics Specialist will perform the procedure at our outpatient facility The Aesthetic Institute of West Florida. Depending on your need, either parts of the face including areas around the eyes, mouth and forehead will be treated individually.
Small areas of the face take 3o to 45 minutes where as a full-face treatment can take up to 2 hours. After your laser skin resurfacing treatment, you will be released for the healing process to begin. Be sure to clean the treated areas regularly and expect healing to take 2 – 3 weeks. Once healing is done, you can wear oil-free makeup and a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect your face. Be sure you sunscreen has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. Limit the amount of time you are in the sun and use protecting clothing and sunscreen if you must be in the sun. Be sure to keep your new skin well moisturized by applying several times a day.
If you have unwanted blood vessels, Rosacea, or redness on your face then the VBeam pulsed dye laser is just for you. VBeam treatment delivers an intense but gentle burst of light into selectively targeted areas of the skin. The light is absorbed by specific blood vessels or melanin pigmented areas in the dermis. This laser treats redness of the face and neck, rosacea, sun/age, spots, freckles and more. This treatment quickly and safely allows for long term reduction of unwanted vascular lesions of the face with minimal downtime or discomfort.
Keep them guessing with safe and natural looking product lines that bring out the best in your appearance. The Aesthetic Institute offers popular treatments and products to enhance your beauty including the Obagi® Skin Care System and LATISSE® eyelash enhancement. Our Tampa Bay oculoplastic surgeons are trained specifically to understand the intricacies of the face and especially the area around the eyes. Our doctors are board-certified fellowship-trained ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgeons. They are one of only a few doctors in the United States with the prestigious title of an ExpertInjector. The relaxed atmosphere created by The Aesthetic Institute of West Florida’s places patients at ease so they may openly express their aesthetic goals and desires.
Rejuvenate the natural beauty in your face by softening lines and smoothing away wrinkles and furrows with cosmetic injectable fillers. Men and women of the Tampa Bay area who are beginning to show the first signs of aging choose injectable fillers to reverse the aging process.
Add volume beneath the skin to reduce wrinkles, plump thin lips, enhance cheeks and contour facial lines. Deep wrinkles will fade away around the nose, mouth, and forehead as dermal fillers lift and tighten skin for a more rejuvenated appearance. Apply cosmetic facial filler to hollow cheek areas to reduce the look of gauntness. Enhancing your image can give new energy to live and boost your self-confidence.
Injectable fillers are a great way to enhance the beauty in addition to other cosmetic or plastic surgical procedures. Injectable fillers can be quick, easy and relatively painless.
Restylane® is one of the safest treatments to enhance your looks. With over 10 million treatments worldwide, Restylane® adds volume and fullness to the skin to correct moderate to sever facial wrinkles and folds, such as the lines from your nose to the corners of your mouth (nasolabial folds). These products come in different thicknesses for your goals.
The ideal way to achieve wrinkle reduction is by replenishing lost volume. With Radiesse® wrinkle filler, you welcome back your own natural collagen to smooth out the signs of aging. That’s because Radiesse’s unique formulation stimulates collagenesis – the production of new collagen – which results in increased volume for natural looking wrinkle correction that may last a year or longer in many patients.
Discover the proven results that 11 million women and men have experienced. These products are administered as a simple, nonsurgical treatment that is injected directly into the muscles to reduce moderate to severe wrinkles that form between the brows and other facial areas.
