Ptosis is a problem with muscle control where the upper eyelid droops because of excess skin or extra tissue. Depending on how ptosis affects your vision or aesthetic appeal, you may want to get ptosis surgery in Singapore. Singapore is a popular destination for ptosis treatment if you are looking to fix the drooping eyelid condition. By fixing this, the eyes can look bigger and younger.
There are two types of ptosis:
- Congenital ptosis (where the person is born with it)
- Acquired (or “secondary”) ptosis (when someone develops it after trauma to the face or as they get older). This could be caused by another condition such as myasthenia gravis, where affected people have severe fatigue in their eyes and neck muscles, causing weakening and drooping of these facial features. Ptosis refers to drooping of both upper lids, but there may be droopiness only on one side.
Technically, ptosis refers to drooping of the upper eyelid, but people often use it to refer to droopiness of both the upper lids. Ptosis can be mild enough to be hardly noticed or severe enough that vision is affected.
In some cases, especially if the ptosis isn’t fixed early in life, secondary complications can develop, such as astigmatism (where light entering the eye doesn’t focus properly) and amblyopia (where one eye loses sight because the brain tunes out input from this eye). The doctors who can perform ptosis surgery are those who are certified in ophthalmology.
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Who Can Get Ptosis Surgery?
Ptosis is usually seen or diagnosed when a person has their comprehensive eye exam carried out by an eye specialist. Younger people may have had an earlier examination with another doctor, the pediatrician, for example.
As you might know already, most people who can see clearly have no perception of their eyes being different from each other in terms of sight. People with ptosis will often have a difference in vision between their affected and non-affected eyes because one eye is seeing better than the other due to this drooping eyelid blocking some light from entering the pupil.
The difference in sight isn’t great unless the ptosis is severe. Some people will need glasses to compensate for this difference, which they may have needed anyway, even without ptosis, but others won’t.
Usually, the timing of ptosis surgery in Singapore is often based on when it causes enough of a difference in sight so that glasses are helpful or required, either full-time or part-time. Sometimes glasses aren’t an option if their prescription isn’t strong enough to make up for the ptosis.
For example, with children who do not yet require glasses and whose vision may still be changing as they grow up, giving them corrective lenses might mean getting incorrect prescriptions. If the child continues needing stronger and stronger lenses just to maintain good vision, then surgery may be considered earlier than usual to prevent or correct this need for stronger and stronger prescriptions.
The main reason to fix ptosis in a child or young person early is because it can make a massive difference to their self-esteem, especially when they are teenagers who are at a critical stage of development psychologically. This effect may be minimal in adults unless the ptosis was severe, in which case it usually starts affecting their confidence and quality of life from that point onwards. In any age group, though, having ptosis removed surgically will restore normal vision if the non-affected eye’s sight is good enough for driving (and you’re allowed to drive with glasses).
How Much Does Ptosis Surgery Cost in Singapore?
The most important factor here is the complexity of the ptosis which means how much droopiness there is. This often depends on how long the person has had it (the longer, the harder to fix) and whether they’ve ever had treatment before (such as eye drops or glasses).
It’s rare for someone who only has minor or no droopiness to require an operation, whereas people with very severe droopiness would have tried some other options first before considering surgery. Talking about fees, it isn’t easy to be accurate online because doctors in Singapore use different methods.
It also depends on their location, the procedures they do, whether you want both eyes done at the same time, or just one eye. Also, if you choose a doctor who is an expert in ptosis surgery, then this would affect the fee too. Generally though, you can expect to pay from around S$5,000 for ptosis surgery in Singapore but there are always exceptions with all things.
As well as price range differences, there will be other factors such as how good the doctor is, what kind of ptosis surgery they perform (there are different types), where they practice (are they in a big hospital or smaller clinic), and whether they come recommended. The last one can cost slightly more because it’s part of their marketing and reputation building but may also reflect better quality staff and service. This would be something to consider.
What To Expect After Having Ptosis Surgery
After you’ve had your ptosis surgery in Singapore, you’ll be required to wear an eye patch for a few hours or days to help with swelling and bruising. Some people also need drops before surgery to prevent damaging their good eye (the one without ptosis).
For those who don’t have this done, it’s possible that their good eye will be irritated by the surgery, such as feeling like there is something in it or irritation/pain when blinking. This temporary side effect should quickly dissipate, though, so if you haven’t had it yet, don’t worry – just keep whatever eye drops they gave you nearby at home and use them as directed once you get back from surgery if needed.
If your ptosis was mild, then the recovery might only take a few days, but it could be up to a couple of weeks for more severe cases. You’ll be able to return to work after about one week, but you shouldn’t drive or operate machinery for at least three days. The bruising should fade within a few days, and your eyes may feel dry, so having eye lubricant drops handy would be useful just in case.
Final Thoughts
Ptosis surgery is for people who have droopy eyelids, affecting their vision or confidence. You can get ptosis surgery at many clinics in Singapore with different prices offered by various ophthalmologists, so finding the best one is important. Your decision would be based on price, location, the reputation of the clinic and doctor, and your own preferences.
At TES Clinic for Face and Jaw, we pride ourselves on offering the best quality surgical solutions to patients who need them. Our professional and caring staff will do their best to help you in any way we can, so what are you waiting for? Call us today at +65 6737 0552 to book your appointment.
TES Clinic for Face & Jaw
304 Orchard Road, Lucky Plaza Suites #05-42, Medical Specialists, 238863
+65 9735 9930
https://tesclinic.com/