Report: Boston mayor Thomas Menino undergoes surgery on drooping eyelids
(CBS News) Boston's Mayor Thomas Menino reportedly has undergone surgery to repair drooping eyelids that were giving him vision problems.
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The Boston Globe reports that Menino, 69, underwent the hour-long outpatient procedure on Wednesday at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). It was performed by Dr. Mami A. Iwamoto, a specialist in cosmetic and reconstructive eye plastic surgery at the hospital.
Drooping eyelids, or ptosis, occurs when the muscles that control for raising the eyelid are weakened because of nerve damage or loosening of the upper eyelids' skin, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The condition may be caused by the normal aging process, a congenital birth abnormality or the result of injuries or diseases like diabetes, stroke, brain tumors or cancers that affect nerves or muscles.
CBS Boston reported on Wednesday that they mayor's eyelids have drooped over time, obscuring his vision over the past decade.
The surgery to raise the eyelid is called a blepharoplasty. MGH doctors said the procedure is common and involves repairing the tendons that control upper eyelids.
Risks of a blepharoplasty include numbness of the eyelid skin, dry or irritated eyes, temporary double vision, scarring, injury to the eyelid muscles and in rare cases bleeding behind the eye, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The NIH says surgery is usually very successful at restoring appearance and function of the eyelids.
The mayor cancelled his public appearances and will work from home over the next week.
