The Eyes Have It!

Eyes.

They’re one of the most important organs of the human body. They allow us to see our loved ones and the beautiful world around us. They add to our facial appearance, are considered the windows to our souls, and they serve as the focus of many a love song.     

While you may never hear someone croon over the eyelid or the eye socket, which protect the eyes, there are plenty of ballads about tears. They keep our eyes moist and clean oh, so naturally, and they spill from tiny, albeit important structures called ducts. And there are the muscles that keep our eyes moving, and the soft tissue around our eyes – they serve necessary functions, too.

So, when these vital structures and soft tissues around the eye are affected by, say, birth defects, infections, injuries, inflammation, tumors or other age-related disorders, it’s good to know that Jeff Nerad, M.D., is nearby.

Dr. Nerad specializes in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery – also known as oculoplastic surgery – at Cincinnati Eye Institute. Think of oculoplastic surgery as a combination of eye surgery and plastic surgery. He performs an impressive variety of operations for  drooping eyelids, watery eyes, and eye socket issues, including  thyroid eye disease. And he offers medical, laser and surgical correction of cosmetic facial problems, particularly upper and eyelid blepharoplasty – a procedure during which may involve removing excess skin, muscle and fat are removed from around the eye.

According to Dr. Nerad, eyelid surgery might be deemed necessary if an eyelid is turned in or turned out; an eyelid is scraping the eye, loose eyelids are causing watery eyes, or a  tear duct is blocked.

"We do a lot more things today than we used to. It takes a little longer to be trained," observes Dr. Nerad, who joined the CEI team in 2009. Prior to his arrival in Cincinnati, he served as professor of ophthalmology and otolaryngology at the University of Iowa in Iowa City for more than 20 years. While at Iowa, he was also the director of the Oculoplastic and Orbital Surgery Service, where he performed more than 1,000 surgeries each year.

In 2008, Dr. Nerad was awarded the Fuerste Professorship of Ophthalmology for his patient care, teaching and research. He has trained hundreds of residents and fellow physicians who today practice worldwide.

"What’s interesting about my job is the variety involved, dealing with both reconstructive and cosmetic surgery," Dr. Nerad notes. "There’s more training now in our specialty in cosmetic-type surgeries. People are working longer, living longer, and there is an increasing demand from patients who want to look better as well as see better. That’s  probably the biggest change I’ve seen since I started my practice.

"And some of the taboo of cosmetic surgery is gone now, partly because the techniques are less expensive, more available and safer. People spend money to go the gym, and they spend money on nice clothes, and now they recognize they can look better without going through a lot of risk or recovery. That’s all part of it. And our patients know they are in the hands of a true specialist in that area."

CEI is headquartered at 1945 CEI Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45242. For more information, visit www.cincinnatieye.com.