It happens to the best of us. One day, we’re looking in the mirror, and we notice sagging skin on the upper eyelid that’s drooping down toward the eye. It’s just one of the exciting skin changes we can look forward to with aging, yet it may become more of a problem to some people based on your skin and facial structure. If you notice this problem and are concerned about it, let’s talk about your options.
Treatment for Droopy Eyelids
If your eyelids have been drooping or you have bags under your eyes, there is a treatment available to you. Your eye doctor is able to use a cutting-edge device that is normally used for glaucoma, known as a Humphrey 850 visual field, to check whether your drooping eyelids are a problem. This machine can measure how much the eyelid is in the way of your field of vision. If your vision is compromised, a plastic surgeon can fix the drooping eyelid, giving great results for both the way you see the world and the way you see yourself in the mirror. This is a safe, reliable technique performed by qualified medical professionals. The main potential risk is that the doctor could remove too much skin, preventing the eyes from closing fully, but that is a very low risk.
Does Insurance Cover This Treatment?
While you have to pay for most treatments that improve your looks with your own money, this one can be covered by insurance in many cases. That’s because the drooping eyelid skin can interfere with your line of sight. An eye doctor is able to test whether your vision is restricted and whether pulling the lid away would improve the visual field. If so, medical insurance should cover the procedure to the extent indicated by your plan. If by chance you’re not covered by medical insurance and want to have the procedure done for cosmetic purposes, it would cost you about $3,000 to $4,000 for the upper lids. You also have the option to improve your look by having the doctor fix undereye bags, which costs about the same as fixing the drooping eyelids.
If your drooping eyelids are bothering you, ask your eye doctor to test whether they’re blocking your field of vision during your next routine eye exam.