Evaluation of the Oculofacial Patient

Abstract

Thorough history taking and examination are key to the successful treatment of any patient presenting with oculofacial problems or concerns. Most patients presenting with functional concerns expect to look better after surgery, and all patients presenting with cosmetic concerns expect their face to function at least as good after as it did before surgery. In fact, most patients are bothered more by the cosmetic and social consequences of their disease than by the functional ones. As the fine line between “functional” and “cosmetic” is becoming more and more blurry, and especially in view of today’s reimbursement changes, we need to perform a more holistic evaluation of our patients and take into consideration both the functional and the cosmetic aspects.