New Injectable Therapy Resolves Contact Lens Displacement in Sunken Upper Eyelids
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (PRWEB) April 18, 2018 -- Dr. Mehryar “Ray” Taban, a board-certified oculoplastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, has published an article in The Journal of Current Opthalmology, detailing the therapeutic effects of hyaluronic acid (HA) gel filler injections to ameliorate soft contact lens irritation and displacement in patients who have a condition known as deep, sunken superior sulci. The superior sulcus, or upper eyelid crease, is prone to fat and tissue loss due to aging, previous aggressive upper eyelid surgery (i.e., upper blepharoplasty), use of certain eye drops (prostaglandins), and the patient’s genetics.
“Compared to more serious consequences of sunken superior sulci — including infections, ulceration, and scarring that can lead to vision loss — soft contact lens discomfort and displacement might be considered merely cosmetic and, therefore, minor,” said Dr. Taban. “However, not being able to use their contact lenses negatively impacts the patients’ quality of life and also profoundly affects how attractive, youthful, and confident they feel.”
Dr. Taban’s manuscript “Use of Hyaluronic Acid Gel Filler to Improve Contact Lens Wear in Patients with Deep Sunken Superior Sulcus” presents a novel solution for contact lens discomfort that may have implications for treating the more serious complications of sunken superior sulci as well. He chose HA fillers, which are commonly used by dermatologists to fill in facial wrinkles and creases, to add more volume to the upper and lower lids.
Hyaluronic acid is a substance that our bodies produce naturally to moisturize and hydrate our skin as well as lubricate our joints. Aging depletes our stores of natural HA, leading to skin that is thinner and less flexible.
“The first patient I treated — a 60-year-old woman — actually came to me with complaints that her eyes made her look too old,” Dr. Taban said. “A previous upper blepharoplasty had left her with deeply sunken upper eyelids that she felt made her look skeletal. She was also troubled by dark and sunken tear troughs.”
“Almost as an afterthought, she mentioned that her thin and sunken upper lids were making it difficult for her to wear her contact lenses,” Dr. Taban continued. “The lenses would slip out of position and get caught underneath her upper lid. And they just didn’t sit comfortably on her eye, when they did manage to stay in position.”
Dr. Taban treated this patient by injecting 0.7 cc HA gel in each upper eyelid and 0.5 cc in each tear trough area. Other than some temporary bruising, swelling, and uneven contours, the patient recovered quickly.
One month later, she came back for a routine follow-up appointment. Her eyes looked much more filled out and youthful. She also reported that she was able to wear her soft contact lenses without discomfort. The lenses were no longer being displaced underneath the upper eyelids.
“Even nine months after her treatment, she said that her eyes still looked great and she had no problems with her contact lenses,” said Dr. Taban. “I believe the added volume corrected her eyelid-conjunctiva misalignment and also improved the surface gliding movement of the upper lid.”
Encouraged by his patient’s response, when a 70-year-old woman presented with similar complaints, Dr. Taban treated her with HA gel injections. One month later, she, too, had an improved aesthetic outcome and could once again wear her contact lenses. Eight months after her HA injection, she could still see and feel the benefits.
“Injectable HA fillers promise to be an effective and relatively low-cost remedy for soft contact lens displacement and discomfort due to deep, sunken sulci,” said Dr. Taban. “It’s very likely that this simple solution can prevent other, more serious complications of the condition.”
About Dr. Taban
Mehryar (Ray) Taban, MD, is a Santa Barbara and Beverly Hills, Los Angeles oculoplastic surgeon (cosmetic and reconstructive eyelid plastic surgery) who is committed to his patients’ progress and results. He offers an array of reconstructive and cosmetic procedures, with a focus on the face in general and the eyes in particular. He has had extensive training and is triple board-certified by the American Society of Oculofacial Plastic Surgery (ASOPRS), American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS) and American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO). Due to Dr. Taban's expertise in eye plastic surgery, he is often called upon to help other physicians with their complex cases, and frequently publishes articles and lectures to physicians around the country.
For more information on Dr. Taban and his services, please visit http://www.TabanMD.com.
Dr. Mehryar (Ray) Taban, MD
9735 Wilshire Boulevard #319
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(877) 958-9277
DrTabanInquiry (at) gmail (dot) com
Risa Goldman, Goldman Marketing Group, https://goldman-marketing.com/, +1 818.861.7092, [email protected]
Share this article