If the thought of a blade or scalpel being used on your eye during surgery makes you shudder, you are definitely not alone! Fortunately, impressive advances have been made in technology, and it is now possible to complete both cosmetic and reconstructive eyelid surgery using radiosurgery instead of a blade. Whether you’re looking to fix droopy eyelids or stop unwanted spasms, radiosurgery can make your surgery a much more pleasant process.

The Basics of Radiosurgery

Radiosurgery is widely known for its applications in treating cancer, but it has also proved very valuable in eye procedures as well. Radiosurgery essentially utilizes radiation to cut very precise areas of tissue from the skin. This eliminates the need for a blade while also minimizing bruising, bleeding and puffiness during and after the procedure. During eye procedures in particular, high-frequency radio waves pass from a micro-fine wire to an antenna behind the patient undergoing surgery. When the surgeon touches that wire to the patient’s skin, the contact results in an incredibly precise incision.

Uses of Radiosurgery for the Eyes

It is the tissue, muscle, fat, hair, and lashes surrounding the eyes that help the eyes convey such a range of emotion, but it’s widely known that genetics, sun damage, and age can all cause unwanted changes to the skin around the eyes. Radiosurgery can tackle many such issues to reverse problems that have caused the appearance of fatigue, premature aging, and much more.

Radiosurgery can correct unwanted bags or excess skin around the upper and lower eyelids, lift drooping eyelids, cut away growths on the eyelids, and even fix eyelid malformations like those that occur when the eyelids turn toward or away from the eyes. All procedures are typically done with local anesthesia as an outpatient procedure. Especially with the use of tissue adhesive in place of sutures, eyelid procedures completed with radiosurgery heal in just a few days.

If you browse through any before-and-after pictures of eyelid radiosurgery procedures, the incredible efficiency of this technique will be clearly evident.