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History

History of eyelid surgery

From the first double eyelid operation in 1896 to transconjunctival surgery and fat repositioning: the steps that changed the operation.

Timeline

Eyelid Surgery timeline

1896

First double eyelid operation

Mikamo first described surgical creation of the upper lid crease, the double eyelid, in Japan.[1]

1924

Transconjunctival approach

Bourguet described reaching lower lid fat through the inside of the lid, with no skin incision.[1][2]

1960

Double eyelid operation in Hawaii

Fernandez published a double eyelid operation for Asian patients in Hawaii, and in 1993 an open technique that creates a levator aponeurosis fold.[1][2]

1961

Fasanella-Servat operation

Fasanella and Servat published a simplified operation for minimal ptosis.[1][2]

1974

Supratarsal fixation

Sheen published supratarsal fixation in upper blepharoplasty.[1]

1975

Muller muscle-conjunctival resection

Putterman and Urist resected Muller muscle and conjunctiva for ptosis in patients whose lid rose with 10% phenylephrine. 27 of 28 lids had satisfactory results.[1]

1975

Aponeurotic ptosis repair

Jones and colleagues repaired ptosis by suturing the levator aponeurosis through an incision 7 mm above the lashes, in 57 lids of 34 patients.[1]

1979

Lateral tarsal strip

Anderson and Gordy sutured tarsal strips to the periosteum of the lateral orbital wall to correct canthal tendon laxity, with good results in 51 cases.[1]

1991

Wider use of the transconjunctival approach

Zarem and Resnick reported 104 transconjunctival lower blepharoplasties, including patients with skin wrinkling and excess, with no prolonged lid retraction. The approach was popularized in the 1990s.[1][2]

1993

Routine canthopexy

Flowers proposed canthopexy as a routine part of lower lid blepharoplasty, with skin removed only when truly excess.[1]

1995

Arcus marginalis release and fat preservation

Hamra released the arcus marginalis and advanced lower lid fat beyond the orbital rim instead of removing it, in 152 cases over 3 years.[1]

1998

Fat redistribution

Goldberg and colleagues described the double convexity deformity of the aging lower lid and a fat redistribution procedure to restore the lid-cheek contour.[1]

2004

Orbital hemorrhage survey

A survey of oculoplastic surgeons covering 269,433 cosmetic eyelid operations found orbital hemorrhage in 0.055% and permanent vision loss in 0.0045%, about 1 in 22,000.[1]

2011

Vision loss survey

A survey of aesthetic surgeons covering 752,816 blepharoplasties found vision loss in 0.0052%, permanent in 0.0033%.[1]

Pioneers

The surgeons who changed the operation

Their papers set the methods in use today.

1896

K. Mikamo

First described surgical creation of the double eyelid.[1]

1924

J. Bourguet

Described the transconjunctival approach to the lower lid.[1]

1960, 1993

L. R. Fernandez

Published the double eyelid operation in Hawaii and the East Asian open technique.[1][2]

1961

R. M. Fasanella and J. Servat

Published the operation for minimal ptosis that carries their names.[1][2]

1974

J. H. Sheen

Published supratarsal fixation in upper blepharoplasty.[1]

1975

A. M. Putterman

Developed Muller muscle-conjunctival resection for ptosis.[1]

1975

L. T. Jones

Published ptosis repair by aponeurotic repair.[1]

1979

R. L. Anderson

Developed the lateral tarsal strip for lid and canthal laxity.[1]

1991

H. A. Zarem

Expanded the transconjunctival approach to patients with skin excess.[1][2]

1993

R. S. Flowers

Proposed canthopexy as a routine part of lower lid blepharoplasty.[1]

1995, 2004

S. T. Hamra

Published arcus marginalis release with fat preservation and the septal reset.[1][2]

1998

R. A. Goldberg

Described lower lid fat redistribution for the double convexity deformity.[1]