As an oculoplastic surgeon, Dr. Guy Massry has unparalleled expertise in orbital and eyelid surgery. He has dedicated his career to advancing and innovating surgical techniques to give patients the best results possible. One of his latest advancements in eyelid paralysis surgery is that he now performs customized orbital decompression (setting the eye back) for patients with eyelid paralysis.

What Is Orbital Decompression?

Orbital decompression is traditionally a procedure to treat bulging eyes for patients with Thyroid Eye Disease or Graves’ Disease. However, Dr. Massry realized the benefits of orbital decompression could be applied to help eyelid paralysis patients. When performed by an expert, like Dr. Massry, orbital decompression surgery will successfully set the patient’s eye(s) back.

Setting the eye back allows the eyelids to work better in a bio-mechanic fashion. In other words, the eyelid does not have to go over such a great slope or arc of the eye so it is easier for them to close. Typically, patients say their eyes close better and they blink better and it is less difficult to function on a daily basis.

In cases of eyelid paralysis, the eyelid muscles are already weak and operating on them further damages them to a greater extent. Orbital decompression is a great alternative to further surgery on eyelids that have already been damaged by previous surgeries. Although the risks to orbital decompression can be significant, they do not exist in the cases of eyelid paralysis. In these cases, the decompression does not involve entering the sinuses and thus the risk of double vision and vision loss is significantly decreased.

Orbital Decompression For Eyelid Paralysis Case Study

The woman below had numerous eyelid surgeries in the past with other surgeons. These numerous surgeries, unfortunately, disfigured her appearance and limited her life. Upon finding Dr. Massry, he recommended using his novel approach to orbital decompression for eyelid paralysis.  Along with his colleague, Dr. Raymond Douglas, who specializes in orbital decompression for thyroid eye disease patients, they proceed with orbital decompression for her. She is a fantastic example of how great the results of orbital decompression can be for eyelid paralysis patients!

Orbital decompression for eyelid paralysis - Dr Guy Massry

Read Her Review Of Her Experience with Dr. Massry

“Simply the best! I cannot say enough positive things about my surgical experience with Dr Massry and his staff! I live in Nebraska. I was born with a seventh nerve facial paralysis and very poor eyelid closure. I have struggled with corneal exposure all my life and have had at least 11 procedures including gold weights and tarsorrhaphies to deal with keratitis and breakdown. I have daily discomfort. I tell others most of the time it’s like skinning your knee when you fall off your bike but it’s my eyeball.

I decided it was time to look outside of NE for a surgeon who could think outside the box and that is exactly what I found in Dr Massry. After a Skype consult and then flying to CA to meet in person, he explained that he wanted to try an Orbital Decompression for the problem. He would recess my eye back and down in the socket a few millimeters. I happen to be a scrub nurse in ophthalmology so this really sounded wild considering I don’t have Graves disease. But after listening to his reasoning it was clear I needed to try something else because I had exhausted anything else that could be done with my eyelids.

I had the surgery in July 2016 and life has been great for me since then 🙂 I used to use non-preserved artificial tears every 15 min, ointment or goggles at night, humidifier, etc. Now I am much more comfortable, use tears far less, hardly any times of having to be treated for horrible keratitis, and actually, have days that “I don’t think about my eye.” It sounds crazy but that is huge for me!

And the bonus was how much of a self-esteem boost I have from a change in my appearance cosmetically! I had someone ask me weekly, if not daily, if I had a stroke or if I had a glass eye. It really bothered me but now that rarely happens. All of those involved in my treatment and care from Dr. Massry’s wonderful staff to the care I received at their outpatient surgery center were first class. The pic of myself and Dr. Massry was taken July 2016 the day prior to surgery and the other pic was taken Nov 2016 on my 40th birthday with my wonderful husband. Big difference! This is long and personal but I wanted to give details so if you feel like your situation is hopeless, it is not. Contact Dr. Massry!” -Ginger

Schedule A Consultation With Dr. Massry

If you or a loved one is suffering from eyelid paralysis, contact Dr. Massry’s office today to find out if you are a candidate for Orbital Decompression. This innovative surgery technique may be able to greatly improve not only your eyelid aesthetics and function but also your overall quality of life. Call us at 310-675-4302 to learn more.

We also offer Skype consultations for our out of town patients to make it as easy as possible to meet with Dr. Massry.

You may also enjoy reading Dr, Massry’s blog entitled Eyelid Paralysis – A Minimally Invasive Procedure to Improve Function & Aesthetics.