Hello.
My name is Kuroda, Deputy Director.

In this edition of our FAQ series, we will answer the question, "Can you perform surgery on one eye at a time? I will answer the following question.

In conclusion, we can do it.

However, there is a difference between this and surgery on both eyes at the same time, so attention ⚠️ is necessary.

Advantages of One Eye Surgery

First, here are the advantages of surgery on one eye at a time.

(1) An eye patch can hide the operated eye.

It is hard to be looked at by people around you during the downtime. If you are unable to take long vacations due to work or school, you can live your daily life without being seen with the operated eye by wearing an eye patch.

(2) It can be used when there is originally a difference between the left and right eye and you want to match one of them.

It is possible to perform surgery on only one eye, instead of one eye at a time. This is a possible case when there is a natural difference between the left and right eyes and you like one eye better than the other.

Disadvantages of one eye surgery

The next disadvantage is that the surgery is performed on one eye at a time.

(1) There is an increased risk of left-right differences.

Surgery is a raw process. Will the cosmetic surgeon cut just above the designed line or shift it slightly? The amount of local anesthetic solution to be injected, the amount of tissue to be removed, the tightness of the sutures, the difference in bleeding and swelling between the left and right eye during the surgery, and other things that are difficult to quantify. No matter how much detail we document in surgical records and photographs, it is not as precise as when we operate on both eyes at the same time.

(2) Total downtime will increase.

In cases where one eye is operated on at a time, the other is often operated on 1-4 weeks after the major swelling has subsided. The completion of the later operated eye will be delayed by that amount, so the total downtime will be extended. In addition, the first three months after surgery is a time of dynamic change toward completion. Even a difference in downtime of a few weeks can make a big difference in the degree of completion. Even in cases where the final result will be left to right, there is a possibility that the left to right difference will be felt strongly during the downtime.

summary

Because of these circumstances, performing surgery on one eye at a time has some advantages for the patient, but it is a significant disadvantage for the surgeon. Some clinics refuse to perform surgery on one eye at a time.

I personally believe that although I cannot actively recommend it, if you wish, I will do my best to accommodate you. In the case of surgery on one eye at a time, I make every effort to keep a more detailed surgical record than usual to aid in the surgery to be performed later.

Assistant Director Daiki Kuroda

Series of Frequently Asked Questions in # Counseling