"#$ %$&%'$ %())*+, )-$*# $.$/*,-) 0) #*/1 )& '&&1 .

&(+,$#2

8lepharoplasLy, cosmeLlc eyelld surgery, has Lrlpled among Medlcare paLlenLs ln Lhe lasL
Len years* as Lhe procedure ls covered by lnsurance when lL lmproves paLlenL vlslon.

WlLh more medlcal professlonals performlng Lhe surgery, paLlenLs need Lo ask lf Lhey
are all quallfled. !"#$ #&' $"' &()*) +,& -#$('.$) #./ 0",1 )",23/ $"'4 $&2)$ $, #/5()'
$"'16

WlLh 8oLox, flllers and oLher anLl-aglng LreaLmenLs becomlng commonplace, more and
more people are also ready Lo have eyelld surgery purely as a 7,)1'$(7
$&'#$1'.$ $, 7,18#$ $"' )(9.) ,+ #9(.9:

1he removal of sagglng skln and LlghLenlng of Lhe muscles durlng blepharoplasLy
creaLes a more youLhful effecL.

ur. kevln klrchner, an Ccular lasLlcs Surgeon and Lhe only neuro-CphLhalmologlsL ln
Lhe new Crleans Area sees 1#.4 -#$('.$) $, 7,&&'7$ -&,7'/2&') +&,1 ,5'& #99&'))(5'
)2&9'&4:

CommenLlng ur. klrchner sald: 1he good news ls LhaL more people are able Lo have
blepharoplasLy pald for by Lhelr lnsurance company whlch can dramaLlcally lmprove
Lhelr vlslon. As an added bonus, lL wlll also make Lhem look younger by flghLlng Lhe slgns
of aglng around Lhe eyes.


1he problem ls, any surgery around Lhe eye ls exLremely dellcaLe and l see Loo many
paLlenLs wlLh bad ouLcomes LhaL l correcL. SomeLlmes Lhey are cosmeLlc lssues
where Lhe eyebrows and llds are asymmeLrlcal or where paLlenLs end up wlLh Lhe
'shocked' expresslon, Lhlnk 8ruce !enner or kenny 8ogers.

CLher lssues are more severe, from paLlenLs who are unable Lo close
Lhelr eyellds and are ln severe paln, Lo oLhers who suffer from double vlslon."

As an Ccular plasLlc surgeon l am usually able Lo
repalr Lhose mlsLakes buL obvlously paLlenLs are much beLLer off geLLlng lL rlghL Lhe flrsL
Llme."

ur. klrchner ls a board-cerLlfled, fellowshlp-Lralned ophLhalmologlsL speclallzlng ln
ocular plasLlcs and neuro-ophLhalmology aL new Crleans Lye SpeclallsLs. Pe performs
surgery and glves paLlenL consulLaLlons aL healLh care sysLems and hosplLals ln new
Crleans, MeLalrle, and 8aLon 8ouge, and ls on sLaff aL Lhe vA Culf CoasL veLerans PealLh
Care SysLem ln 8lloxl, MS.

CommenLlng ur. klrchner sald: 8e careful who you choose Lo perform eye lld surgery.
lL's a procedure LhaL necesslLaLes careful analysls and exacL measurlng. Cnly a Lralned
professlonal can deLermlne Lhe rlghL procedure for you. Lven Lhough you may only
noLlce drooplness ln one eyelld, Lhe problem could be ln boLh. And, whaL you may Lhlnk
ls sagglng skln could acLually be a muscle lssue, ln whlch case a dlfferenL procedure
would come lnLo play.

Lyelld sagglng should noL be confused wlLh upper eyelld pLosls elLher, whlch can be a
congenlLal and aglng condlLlon, whlch can affecL one or boLh eyes. Losls ls also known
as Lhe drooplng of Lhe upper eyelld and ls correcLed by ralslng Lhe poslLlon of Lhe upper
eyelld by LlghLenlng Lhe muscle LhaL would normally elevaLe lL.

Surgeons also need Lo conslder eLhnlclLy. Many Aslans are born wlLh slngle eyellds
whlch do noL have a crease or a fold, so blepharoplasLy measuremenLs and procedures
are sllghLly dlfferenL"

8lepharoplasLy should also be consldered ln con[uncLlon wlLh oLher cosmeLlc LreaLmenLs
accordlng Lo ur. klrchner: lf you are Lhlnklng abouL cosmeLlc eye re[uvenaLlon you need
Lo conslder all Lhe opLlons, lncludlng 8oLox, flllers and surgery. Whlle Lhey can work
well LogeLher, Lhey can also work agalnsL each oLher. lor lnsLance, ln an efforL Lo sofLen
wrlnkles on your forehead you may lessen Lhe effecLs of eyelld surgery.

8lepharoplasLy removes excess Llssue from Lhe upper and lower eyellds. 1hls excess can
block a paLlenL's perlpheral fleld of vlslon, whlch ls why lnsurance wlll cover Lhe
procedure.

Sagglng skln around Lhe eyes can also make paLlenLs look Llred and older. 8emoval of
Lhe excess faL and skln, and LlghLenlng of Lhe muscles ln Lhe area creaLes a more
youLhful appearance.

WlLh accepLance of 8oLox and faclal flllers as commonplace anLl-aglng LreaLmenLs
more people are ready Lo undergo cosmeLlc procedures, such as blepharoplasLy, ln
order Lo re[uvenaLe Lhe eye area and look younger and more resLed. Sagglng skln and
faL hernlaLlon around Lhe eyes ls a normal parL of Lhe aglng process buL lL can also be
geneLlc, occurrlng ln people as early as Lhelr Leens.

- ends -