Laser Found to Be Safest Method for Eyelid Surgery

Safety has always been the number one goal for surgeons who routinely work around the eye. After years of experience it now appears clear that the CO2 laser is the tool which offers the highest level of safety for patients undergoing eyelid surgery. Dr. Warren Lent, Los Angeles plastic surgeon, who has successfully performed over 3000 cosmetic eyelid surgeries, also known as a Blepharoplasty, says, “The CO2 laser offers patients the highest level of safety while at the same time offering the fastest return to work.”

The CO2 laser is used as a surgical tool and as it makes the incision or removes the excess eyelid fat, it immediately ‘welds’ or ‘seals’ the blood vessels thereby decreasing the risk of bleeding during the procedure. “The eye is located in a tight bony compartment and we want to minimize the chances of any blood getting into the space between the bone and the eye,” explains Dr. Lent. Dr. Lent went on to explain that since the bone cannot expand, blood in that space could potentially cause pressure on the eye itself. The CO2 laser greatly reduces this risk, thus making for a very safe procedure. Dr. Warren Lent uses specially developed instruments at his Beverly Hills plastic surgery clinic which completely protects the eye from the laser during the procedure.

Because of the CO2 lasers’ potential ability to prevent bleeding, the amount of bruising and swelling are reduced and patients can expect to return to work and normal routines faster than with ‘old fashioned’ or traditional blepharoplasty techniques.

The CO2 laser also reduces the potential for pain during the procedure. This allows patients to undergo the procedure while avoiding the need to be ‘put to sleep’ or sedated with total body anesthesia. The procedure can be performed by placing only a small amount of ‘local’ medication into the eyelid, similar to the way a dentist numbs the mouth for dental work. This decreases the risk associated with total body anesthesia, as well as decreasing the overall costs of the procedure. Many Beverly Hills cosmetic surgery patients want to undergo eyelid surgery without having to be put to sleep.

In general, the CO2 laser greatly reduces the risks in undergoing eyelid surgery, helps to allow for the procedure to be done without sedation or ‘general’ anesthesia, and usually has a faster recovery time.

Dr. Lent is a highly respected board certified Beverly Hills plastic surgeon known for his unique, creative and artistic approach to cosmetic surgery.

Educated at Yale, UCLA and Albert Einstein hospitals, Dr. Lent has been honored by the Guide to Americas Top Surgeons and is a Diplomate of both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. He is especially well known for his extensive experience in the use of cosmetic lasers. He is a former instructor at the Yale University school of Medicine and former clinical assistant professor of surgery at the USC School of Medicine.