Eye Widening Surgery

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in eye widening surgery. My eyes are too close set together. I am looking for a way to widen them apart.Is there any chance getting the so called “box orbital osteotomy” surgery? Do you perform it? I understand this is a major cranofacial surgery but nowadays these types of procedures can be done safely. Could it increase the interpupillary distance for a few millimeters without looking deformed? Appreciate your help and time.

A:As an adult orbital box osteotomies are not appropriate for aesthetic eye spacing issues or is a form of eye widening surgery. I only perform orbital hypertelorism repair in young children. This is major cranofacial surgery of which its safety is not the issue. It is that it requires a craniotomy and the creation of numerous other aesthetic trade-offs (scalp scars, bony step-offs etc) that do not justify this type of orbital surgery for a few millimeters of inter pupillary distance increase.

That being said, they may be other more minor eye procedures that may be of benefit but I would need to see a frontal view picture of your eyes to determine if they may be successful.

Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana