Double eyelid surgery creates a fold line in the eyelid, and ptosis correction adjusts the strength of the muscle that opens the eye; the extent of incision is chosen based on eyelid thickness and eye-opening strength.
Double eyelid surgery and ptosis correction are often mentioned together, but they address different problems. Double eyelid surgery creates a fold line in the eyelid skin to widen the vertical range of the eye that is exposed. Ptosis correction adjusts the strength of the muscle that lifts the eyelid to reduce how much of the iris is covered. Whether your eyes look heavy because of the absence of a line or because of weak opening strength determines which surgery is needed.
The method is chosen based on eyelid thickness and fat volume, skin laxity, and opening strength. If the skin is thin with little fat, a line may hold with the non-incisional method. If the skin is thick, there is a lot of fat, or there is sagging, the tissue needs to be addressed through a partial or full incision for the line to be stable. If eye-opening strength is weak, ptosis correction is considered alongside whichever method is chosen.
At Atelier Plastic Surgery, during consultation we lift the eyelid by hand to check opening strength and skin laxity, and we look at the height and shape of the line both sitting and lying down. We decide the extent of incision and the height of the line with the eye shape you want, the balance of your whole face, and differences between the two sides in mind. Consultation, surgery, and follow-up are handled personally by the director.
Without cutting the skin, sutures placed from inside the eyelid connect the skin to the tarsal plate to create the line. The fixation is non-adhesive, so tissue does not bind together unnecessarily and the line looks natural even when the eyes are closed. Recovery is fast, but in exchange the line may loosen.
Two or three short incisions are made along the line to tidy fat and some tissue before the line is fixed. The line holds better than with the non-incisional method, and recovery is faster than with a full incision.
The skin is incised along the line, and loose skin, fat, and muscle are tidied as needed before the line is fixed. Because the tissue is handled directly, a stable line can be created even on thick eyelids.
The muscle that lifts the eyelid (the levator) or its aponeurosis is tightened to strengthen eye opening. It can be performed with any of the non-incisional, partial-incision, or incision methods, and the amount of iris exposed is adjusted to match on both sides. It is used not only for ptosis but also for revision cases where opening the eyes has become awkward after previous eye surgery.
Eye surgery by Dr. Juyoung Go,
designed with experience and an artist's eye
When an epicanthal fold covers the skin at the inner corner of the eye, the eyes can look heavy and may even appear cross-eyed.
Opening the inner corner with an epicanthoplasty of a length suited to each person, planned together with double eyelid surgery, can give a clearer look without overdoing it. The length of the epicanthoplasty is set according to the distance between the eyes and facial proportions.
Dr. Juyoung Go's non-incisional, non-adhesive double eyelid surgery fixes the line so that tissue does not bind together unnecessarily, aiming for a natural line with no awkward creasing even when the eyes are closed. Because a non-incisional line can loosen depending on the eyelid, it is recommended for thin eyelids with little fat.
Ptosis correction can help when ptosis makes the eyes look sleepy, when the eyelids cover much of the eye and make it look older, or when opening the eyes has become awkward after previous eye surgery.
If the eyelid is thin with little fat, or in a revision case, and sagging is not severe, it can be corrected with ‘non-incisional ptosis correction’.
If the eyelid skin is somewhat thick, has some fat, and sags more, ‘partial-incision ptosis correction’, which keeps the incision to a minimum, is considered. If only one eye has weak opening strength, only that eye is corrected to balance both sides.
Incisional double eyelid surgery is considered when the eyelid skin is thick or has much sagging and fat, when a defined line is wanted, or when a previous incisional double eyelid surgery needs revision.
Some people worry that an incision will mean long-lasting swelling or a thick, puffy ‘sausage’ line.
Dr. Juyoung Go focuses on precisely designing the incision and line height and handling only as much tissue as needed to shorten surgery time. How quickly swelling subsides and how visible the scar is vary from person to person.
Dr. Juyoung Go personally performs a range of eye procedures: non-adhesive buried-suture and incisional double eyelid surgery, non-incisional and incisional ptosis correction, medial and lateral canthoplasty, under-eye fat repositioning, forehead lift, and sub-brow lift.
The surgical method and line are decided by considering the amount and thickness of the skin, the bone structure around the eye, eye-opening strength, and the eye shape you want.
Plastic surgery can cause side effects such as infection, bleeding, and inflammation, so decide after a thorough consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon.
A case in which eyes that looked heavy because the lid covered them were corrected by adjusting the lifting force without an incision.
Plastic surgery can cause side effects such as infection, bleeding, and inflammation, so decide after a thorough consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon.
These may vary depending on your condition; we will give you precise details at your consultation.
Before deciding the height of the line, we check the thickness of the eyelid skin, the amount of fat, the bone structure around the eye, and eye-opening strength. Creating a line alone on an eye with weak opening strength can leave the line looking thick or the eyes looking sleepy, so we plan ptosis correction alongside when needed.
We do not recommend an incision for an eye that can hold a line without one, nor the non-incisional method for an eye that needs an incision. We explain the trade-offs between recovery time and how well the line holds, and decide together with you.
The height and shape of the line are not decided by looking at the eyes alone. We also consider the distance between the eyebrow and the eye, the space between the eyes, and how it suits your face shape. We check the height while you are sitting to reduce the difference from when you are lying down.
Most eyes differ between the two sides even before surgery. We check and explain differences in opening strength and skin laxity in advance at consultation, and make adjustments during surgery to match the two sides.
Begin cold compresses and rest with your head elevated. Avoid touching or rubbing the eye area. You go home the same day and take the prescribed medication.
Swelling and bruising are at their peak. Continue cold compresses and apply the prescribed ointment to the incision sites.
For the incision and partial-incision methods, stitches are removed. You can wash your face after stitch removal, and swelling decreases noticeably.
Major swelling subsides and daily activities are possible. Light makeup is possible; start wearing contact lenses after discussing it with the director.
Fine swelling resolves and the line becomes natural. The incision line may look red but gradually fades. The final shape settles over about 3–6 months depending on the individual.
Bleeding and hematoma, infection, swelling, and bruising may occur. The lines may differ between the two sides or from the intended height, and with the non-incisional method in particular the line may loosen or fade. With an incision, an incision-line scar remains and may look red at first. Ptosis correction may leave the eyes looking startled from overcorrection or insufficiently improved from undercorrection, and eye closure may be temporarily incomplete, causing dry eye or a foreign-body sensation. Reduced sensation, unnatural eyelid movement, and depression along the inside of the line may occur, and revision surgery may be needed depending on the result. Results vary from person to person, and we explain the risks and limitations fully at consultation.
The content on this page is general medical information provided in accordance with the Medical Service Act. The results of surgery and treatments and the recovery period may vary by individual. All surgeries and treatments carry a risk of side effects, so please decide after a thorough consultation with a specialist.
Canthoplasty that adjusts the epicanthal fold and upper eyelid to widen the eye's exposed width and height
Learn more Related Upper BlepharoplastyUpper blepharoplasty that removes only as much loose upper-eyelid skin as needed to improve both vision and appearance
Learn more Related Sub-brow LiftA sub-brow lift that removes skin below the brow to lift sagging while keeping the double eyelid line
Learn more Related Eye Surgery GuideA guide to choosing eye surgery by sagging, opening strength, and eye exposure
Learn more Related Academic ActivityPapers · books · conference lectures and chairs · society positions · ORCID
Learn moreConsultations are conducted by the Director herself. Schedule one by phone or KakaoTalk, or leave an online consultation request.
