What Is Ectropion?
The eyelids play a vital role in the function of the eyes. These thin sections of skin are responsible for protecting the eyes from foreign items, including dust and debris. When a potential threat is detected, the eyelids will blink as a natural reflex to protect the eye.
The eyelids also lubricate the eyes by helping to spread tears and fluids across their surface to keep them moist. This ensures that they can properly function throughout the day. At night, the eyelids cover the eyes and keep them lubricated while we sleep.
Because the eyelids are so essential, any issues that may arise with them can lead to a slew of complications. Many of the complications are the result of the aging process and primarily affect older individuals. Ectropion is one of the eyelid conditions that most commonly affects older adults.
Individuals who suffer from ectropion experience an outward turning of the eyelid, which causes the eyelid to pull away from the surface of the eye and creates a gap between the eye and the eyelid. This gap leaves the eye exposed to potential threats and harmful foreign items and particles. Ectropion most commonly occurs in the lower eyelids and can range in degree from mild to severe. Severe ectropion extends across the entirety of the eyelid.
Ectropion is known to lead to excessive dryness in the eyes. Many people experience excessive tearing due to overcompensation from the body to lubricate the eyes. This can also occur due to the inability to properly drain tears from the eyes as a result of the eyelid pulling away from the eye and preventing access to the tear drains.
Irritation is a very common symptom, and many patients experience a gritty or sand-like feeling on the eyes. Excessive dryness as a result of ectropion can also cause damage to the cornea, which can lead to other issues like increased sensitivity to light and vision impairment.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms for the first time, or if your previously diagnosed ectropion is undergoing rapid development, contact us to schedule a consultation with ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Stephen Laquis. Dr. Laquis will thoroughly evaluate your condition to determine the best course of action for your treatment.
What Is Dry Eye Syndrome?
Your eyes require proper lubrication in order to function on a daily basis. Most people have no issues with eye lubrication; the tears that their eyes produce provide them with a sufficient amount throughout the day. Some people, however, suffer from a common medical issue known as dry eye syndrome.
This issue occurs when the body is unable to keep the eyes properly lubricated. Dry eye syndrome can produce a number of disorienting and painful symptoms, including issues like sensitivity to light, a gritty and irritating feeling on the eye, blurred vision, redness, and burning or itching on the eyes.
A very common symptom of dry eye syndrome is the overproduction of tears. It may seem odd that a condition that is caused by the lack of tears can lead to the overproduction of them, but this is simply an adaptive mechanism of the body.
When the body notices that the eyes are becoming severely dry, it stimulates the production of tears in the eyes in an attempt to counteract the issue. The amount of tears the body produces in response to dry eye syndrome is usually insufficient and is unable to provide the eyes with the proper lubrication they need.
There are a number of factors that can exacerbate the issues experienced as a result of dry eye syndrome. Medications such as antihistamines, certain chronic health conditions, and windy and dry climates can all increase the severity of the symptoms experienced.
Activities that are strenuous on the eyes and require long periods of intense focus and decreased blinking can also cause your symptoms to increase in severity. This includes activities like driving, prolonged periods of computer or phone use, and extensive reading.
In order to treat your dry eye syndrome, you will need to be properly evaluated so that the extent of the issue can be determined and an appropriate treatment can be found. Treatment for dry eye syndrome can range from the regular use of artificial tears to the permanent closure of the tear drain, though this option is reserved for extreme cases.
If you believe that you are currently suffering from dry eye syndrome and are in search of professional medical relief, contact us to schedule a consultation. Ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Stephen Laquis will properly diagnose the extent of your issues and provide you with the appropriate solution.
Eye Reconstruction and Loss of Eye Naples
Dr. Laquis specializes in treating the many conditions that concern the eyes including orbital tumors, trauma and congenital problems. The orbit is the bony socket around the eye that is the main defense against protecting the eye from trauma, though in some cases of orbital trauma, surgical removal of the eye may be necessary.
The loss of an eye may be performed to alleviate a severe infection in the eye, to improve the aesthetic value of a disfigured eye, to control pain in a blind eye, or due to a severe trauma. There are two key words here to know when speaking about any surgical removal of an eye: Enucleation and Evisceration.
“Enucleation” means the surgical removal of the entire eye, while “evisceration” means the surgical removal of the contents inside the eye. In either case, an artificial eye may be create by an ocularist to replace the eye.
Contact our office today to learn more.
Tear Duct Obstruction Fort Myers
The lacrimal glands are responsible for our body’s production of tears, while the nasolacrimal duct drains the tears from the eyes through into the nose. Men and women with a tear duct obstruction may find that they are suffering from dry eyes more often than others.
There are a few different types of obstructions that can occur, such as:
The Tear Duct Obstruction–This occurs when the nasolacrimal duct doesn’t open properly and can lead to infection.
The Congenital Obstruction–This occurs in nearly7% of all infants. To treat this obstruction the tear duct area is massaged, and if the condition persists still, the tear duct may be probed or, in worst case scenarios, a tube may be placed.
The Acquired Obstruction–Typically, if an adult has a blocked tear duct, they will undergo a DCR (which stands for Dacryocystorhinostomy) to create a new passage way between the blocked sac and the nose.
If you are suffering from a tear duct obstruction and are interested in learning more about your options for resolving it, contact our office today.
Eyelid Surgery Naples
In addition to serving the residents of Lee County, our practice also offers a convenient location in Naples, Florida. Some people have the misconception that eyelid surgery is only for those that want cosmetic surgery. You may surprised to hear that for many, the heavy upper eyelids may contribute to decreased peripheral vision, eye strain, and headaches among many other symptoms. If the visual obstruction from your upper eyelids meets certain criteria your insurance may cover the surgery! An examination, photos and a simple test will confirm whether or not you meet the criteria. Call us today to schedule your consultation!
Fellowship Trained…What does it mean?
Is your doctor fellowship trained? Many of you may have heard the word fellowship trained used but may not understand what it means. After medical school, physicians are required to choose a specialty, whether it be family practice, ophthalmology, general surgery or otherwise, each specialty has a certain length of time that the graduate medical doctor must spend in a residency program learning and perfecting their clinical knowledge and skills. Post successful completion of a residency program, the physician is approved to start working in their specialty. For those that wish to further their training even more, certain specialties have Fellowship Programs. Fellowship programs provide additional training in their specialty. Within the field of Ophthalmology there are many sub-specialties, one of them being Oculoplastics. An ASOPRS (American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery) fellowship is the GOLD standard for training in the field of Oculoplastics.
Since 1969 ASOPRS has produced some of the finest surgeons in the highly specialized field of the eye, plastic, facial, and reconstructive surgery. Fellowship in ASOPRS is restricted to Ophthalmologists who have been board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and who have also passed rigorous tests in this specialized field. Acceptance into an approved ASOPRS program is difficult, as only those with the highest levels of achievement are accepted. Dr. Laquis completed his 2 years of ASOPRS fellowship training in 2002 at the University of Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
Look for the ASOPRS logo and make sure that your surgeon is an ASOPRS fellow.
Dermal Fillers Fort Myers
Dermal Fillers is a popular injectable facial rejuvenation treatment that has helped many men and women achieve a more youthful appearance. Today there are more options available to us than ever before when it comes to facial rejuvenation–some more invasive than others–so, how do you know which to choose? Each facial rejuvenation treatment is geared toward correcting a specific component of the aging process, for example, Botox is an injectable treatment used to reduce lines, wrinkles and creases that have formed due to repetitive facial muscle movement. Dermal Fillers is an injectable treatment used to fill in areas of the face showing lines, wrinkles, and creases due to a loss in volume.
Sometimes more than one facial rejuvenation treatment may be performed at the same time for a more comprehensive result. If you are interested in learning more about Dermal Fillers, and to find out if they may be right for you, contact our office to schedule your consultation with Dr. Laquis today.
Blepharoplasty Fort Myers
Blepharoplasty has helped many people achieve a refreshed appearance around the eyes. The skin around our eyes is delicate and as we get older we start noticing those little changes…a wrinkle, a crease, a bulge, or sagging. These signs of aging may occur prematurely due to heredity or sun damage and may make you look not only older than you are, but also more tired or worn out. Through Blepharoplasty, Dr. Stephen Laquis has helped many men and women alike achieve a more youthful appearance. The Blepharoplasty, or Eyelid Lift, procedure may be performed on the upper eyelid, lower eyelid or both. Take a look at our online before and after blepharoplasty photo gallery to see real results our patients have enjoyed.
Sometimes the Blepharoplasty procedure is performed in combination with other facial rejuvenation procedures and sometimes it is performed on its own. In some cases an eyelid may be sagging so severely that is obstruction the vision–in these cases an upper lid blepharoplasty may be covered by insurance. To learn more about the Blepharoplasty procedure and to find out if you may be a good candidate for the procedure, contact our office to schedule your consultation with Dr. Laquis today.
Eyelid Surgery Fort Myers
The skin around the eyes is particularly delicate and vulnerable to those common signs of aging that sneak up on all of us as we get older. Lines, creases, wrinkles, sagging, and puffiness can make us look not just older than we are or feel but more tired, run-down and worn out than we would like to project out to the world. The Eyelid Surgery is designed to improve the appearance around the eyes, making patients look more youthful and alert, while still retaining a natural look.
The Eyelid Surgery, also called a Blepharoplasty, is performed on the upper eyelids or the lower eyelids, or both the upper and lower eyelids together. If you are interested in learning more about the Eyelid Surgery procedure and recovery process and to find out if you are a good candidate for the procedure, contact our office to schedule your constellation with Dr. Laquis today. Contact our office for a consultation or call 239-947-4042.
Facial Fillers Fort Meyers
As we get older we all start to observe those little changes that take place all over our bodies and faces…we see that we have a little crease here that just doesn’t go away, or that our skin in this area has lost a little of its elasticity; there are lines, wrinkles, and creases where previously there were none. The aging process is being redefined as technology has made it easier and easier for men and women to stay looking more youthful longer with less invasive procedures than were previously available. A prime example of this is Facial Fillers. Facial Fillers, also called Dermal Fillers, are similar to Botox in that they are an injectable treatment used to achieve a more youthful appearance. The different between Facial Fillers and Botox is that while Botox relaxes muscles that are contracting repetitively and leaving creases in the skin, Facial Fillers fill in areas of the face that are experiencing creases, wrinkles and sagging due a loss of volume in that area of the face.
If you are interested in learning more about your facial rejuvenation options and to find out if Facial Fillers may be right for you, contact our office to schedule your consultation with Dr. Laquis today.