Washington, Oct 5 : Cosmetic surgery to repair droopy eyelids has also been found to improve patients' overall quality of life, say researchers.

Blepharoplasty (BLEF-uh-ro-plas-te) is surgery to repair droopy eyelids by removing excess skin, muscle and fat. Eyelids stretch and lose elasticity as people age.

As a result, excess fat may gather above and below the eyelids, causing sagging eyebrows, drooping upper lids and bags under your eyes. Besides making patients look older, severely sagging skin around the eyes can also impair vision.

The researchers surveyed 26 adult patients undergoing bilateral upper and lower lid cosmetic blepharoplasty.

The study showed that procedure had a positive impact on quality of life for almost all the outcome measures used in the Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI).

The authors noted that most patients who undergo a blepharoplasty procedure do so to feel better about their appearance, and improve their self-esteem.

The study was presented at the 2009 American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in San Diego. (ANI)