Often patients want to know what happens after a lesion is biopsied around their eyelid and found to be a skin cancer. The initial biopsy in San Diego may be done by an ophthalmologist, dermatologist, or oculoplastic surgeon. Mohs surgery, named after a person, is a process by which skin cancers around the eyelid are removed. Specially trained dermatologists will removed the tumor, often a basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. Mohs surgeons then remove the tissue in slow, careful, passes to remove the least amount if tissue but clears patients of the tumor.
In many parts of the body, the Mohs surgeon can often close this defect, but in the periocular area, the best results come from seeing an oculoplastic surgeon. This is an eye surgeon who has done 2 years of advanced training in the eyelid area AND a member of The American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. This is because they operate on eyelids everyday, have the highest level of surgical training in this area, and understand well the complications that can occur. Dr. Iyengar is nationally-recognized by his peers for his amazing eyelid reconstructions after skin cancer is removed with the Mohs procedure. He has operated on several physicians in the San Diego area who have had skin cancer around the eyelid.
In San Diego, patients who have had a skin cancer around their eyelid removed, and desire the best functional and cosmetic result are referred back to Dr. Iyengar for the closure. This is done in a surgical center where patients feel minimal discomfort. Unfortunately, there are people who end up seeing surgeons who are not oculoplastic surgeons for their eyelid surgery for cosmetic reasons or after Mohs surgery, and get suboptimal results. Check the ASOPRS website to see if your surgeon is a member.
This is a patient that came to see Dr. Iyengar after having had eyelid surgery by surgeon who was not an eyelid specialist. Dr. Iyengar was able to fix her eyelids after a suboptimal result.
