Almond Eye Surgery

What is an almond eye?

First, let us define what an almond eye is and why it is a preferred eye shape…

The corners where the upper eyelid meets the lower eyelid are called the “canthi”. The one nearer the nose is called the “inner canthus” and the one nearer the ear the “outer canthus”. The slope of the imaginary line between the inner and outer canthus is called the “canthal tilt”. When the inner and outer canthus are exactly level, the canthal tilt is neutral. In an almond eye, the outer canthus is higher than the inner canthus. The almond eye is the eye shape considered young and beautiful. With ageing, as the tissues around the eye become lax, the outer canthus drops and a down-slanting look develops; some people also have down-slanting eyes by nature. A down-slanting eye is an aesthetically less preferred shape that gives a tired, older expression.

What is almond eye surgery?

Almond eye surgery is in fact the general name given in recent years to operations that have long been performed and whose medical names are “canthoplasty” and “canthopexy”. In canthoplasty, the supporting ligament at the outer canthus is cut and stitched back higher up. In canthopexy, it is tightened without being cut.

Although almond eye surgery has been known for a long time, as a result of beauty trends it has become an operation that almost every woman wants today. Men with down-slanting eyes also choose it to get rid of a weary, tired look.

Almond eye surgery can be performed through a small skin incision around the eye, or with the help of an endoscope through an incision hidden in the hair. With the endoscopic method the incision stays in the hair and no scar forms on the eyelid — another important reason why almond eye surgery has become so popular in recent years…

Almond eye surgery takes about 60 minutes in total for both eyes. Swelling settles within about a week, and any bruising disappears within a few weeks. It can be done under local or general anaesthesia. With local anaesthesia, only the area around the eye is numbed with injections and a sedative is given through a vein (sedation); with general anaesthesia the patient is fully asleep.

Together with almond eye surgery, we often perform a temple lift or brow tail lift in the same session.

What is a temple lift or temporal brow lift?

In a temple lift, the tail of the brow is also pulled outwards and upwards, which is why the operation is also known as a brow tail lift.

A temple lift or brow tail lift is an operation that raises the outer end of the brow and removes laxity in the temple area.

Incisions can be made in various places to raise the tail of the brow: above the outer part of the brow, just in front of the hairline, or through an incision in the hair with the endoscopic method. When the operation is done endoscopically, the scar is hidden in the hair.

The operation can be done under local or general anaesthesia. Swelling settles within a week, and bruising lasting a few weeks may be seen.

What is upper eyelid aesthetic surgery (upper blepharoplasty)?

As the skin of the upper eyelid ages it becomes lax, and bags form, more noticeably in the part of the upper lid nearer the nose. In upper blepharoplasty, an incision is made in the upper lid crease and the lax skin and bulging fat are removed. The incision is stitched and a tape is applied over it; after a week the tape is removed and the stitches taken out. Swelling settles within a week, while bruising can last a few weeks; bruise-reducing creams and concealer can be used.

Upper blepharoplasty is an operation that is also frequently performed for aesthetic purposes; results may vary from person to person.

What is lower eyelid aesthetic surgery (lower blepharoplasty)?

With age, the membrane that holds back the fat in the lower eyelid becomes lax and the fat moves forward, creating what we call “under-eye bags”. The skin also becomes lax with ageing.

In lower eyelid aesthetic surgery these fat bags are removed. If there is a lot of skin laxity, the incision is made just below the lashes on the lower lid and excess skin is removed along with the fat. If there is not much skin laxity, the incision can be made on the inner side of the lower lid and only the fat bags removed.

Lower blepharoplasty can be done under local or general anaesthesia and takes about 60 minutes in total for both eyes. If the incision is made through the skin, a tape is applied over it; after a week the tape is removed and the stitches are taken out.

Swelling and bruising after lower blepharoplasty are somewhat greater than after upper lid surgery and can last a few weeks. The aesthetic result may vary from person to person.