I wanted to thank everyone who voted for me in Long Island Press “Best Of” competition.

I am honored and humbled that Long Islanders Voted Dr. Rachel Ellis from Belaray Dermatology in Plainview Best Eye Care on Long Island!

The eyes are the windows to the soul and that’s why it’s so important to take great care of them. That’s also why so many people flock to Belaray’s Dr. Rachel Ellis for eye care. The board-certified doctor specializes in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the eyelids and face. She provides ophthalmic plastic surgery that can rid patients of the hoods or bags under the eyes, smooth wrinkles, tighten sagging skin or correct a problem.

I have been nominated as BOTH one of 15 Cosmetic Surgeons & one of 15 Eye Care Physicians out of all of Long Island by the Long Island press “Best of…” list. I want to thank all of you who had voted to nominate me. If you have a few minutes to spare, please vote! It would be appreciated. You are allowed to vote once per day. Here is the link to cast your vote.

A stye (or hordeolum) can develop when an eyelid gland at the base of an eyelash becomes infected with staphylococcal bacteria. Resembling a pimple on the eyelid, a stye can grow on the inside or outside of the lid. Styes are not harmful to vision, and they can occur at any age.

A stye may feel painful or irritating.  You may notice frequent watering in the affected eye, a feeling like something is in the eye or increased light sensitivity.There is also redness and swelling in the area, and often a pimple. Sometimes the entire eyelid can swell.

Most styes heal within a few days on their own. You can encourage this process by applying hot compresses for 10 to 15 minutes, three or four times a day over the course of several days. This will relieve the pain and bring the stye to a head, much like a pimple. The stye ruptures and drains, then heals.  Sometimes styes are treated with a topical antibiotic to prevent recurrence, and may need to be opened and drained by your ophthalmologist.

A chalazion is another type of bump found on the eyelid.  It is basically an enlarged, blocked oil gland in the eyelid. A chalazion starts out similar to a stye, and then turns into a painless hard, round bump.

Although the same treatment speeds the healing of a chalazion, the bump may linger for several weeks or months. If the chalazion remains after several months, your ophthalmologist may drain it or inject a steroid to facilitate healing.

Trichiasis, a very common lid abnormality, is defined as the misdirection of eyelashes toward the globe. The misdirected lashes may be diffuse across the entire lid or in a small segmental distribution.

Trichiasis may result from chronic blepharitis, burns, eyelid laceration, trachoma, cicatricial pemphigoid, Zoster, and Steven-Johnson syndrome.  Patients complain of watery, red, and irritated eyes because the offending eyelashes rub against the eye.

We wanted to offer a special welcome to North Shore – LIJ employees to our office.  All physicians in our practice are active members of the new 2011 North Shore-LIJ IPA.

Ophthalmic plastic surgery can not only change your appearance but can also boost your self-confidence and help you look as young as you feel. Whether you want to get rid of the hoods or bags from your eyes, smooth wrinkles, tighten sagging skin, or correct a problem resulting from surgery, birth defects or the effects of aging, the wide array of procedures available at our office can help you achieve the appearance you desire.

Dr. Rachel Ellis is board-certified specializing in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the eyelids and face. Dr. Ellis works closely with each patient to develop an individualized plan of treatment and is dedicated to helping you achieve a natural post-surgical look.

As the eyelids are composed of very thin skin and muscle, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, and apocrine glands, cancers can form from any of these sources.

The most common types of cancer occurring on the eyelid arise from the skin. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type, followed by squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and the more rare malignant melanoma. Sebaceous cell carcinoma arises from the sebaceous glands.

BCC and SCC eyelid cancers appear as painless elevations or nodules, often with a pearly appearance, with either loss or distortion of the eyelashes, or fine hairs of the skin. There may be ulceration of the involved area, with bleeding, crusting, redness and/or distortion of the normal skin appearance. The squamous cell carcinoma is frequently preceded by the presence of actinic keratosis (AK). These precancerous lesions appear as scaly plaques or papules, often with an erythematous base. Both of these cancers tend to occur most often on the lower eyelids.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) accounts for approximately 80% of all nonmelanoma skin cancers and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) accounts for almost 20%. The tumors most often appear in individuals aged 40-60 years with fair skin and sunlight exposure. These tend to be slow growing forms of skin cancer and rarely spreads to other areas of the body, but if left untreated, can disfigure, ulcerate and invade the orbit and eye.

Melanoma is a malignancy of pigment-producing cells (melanocytes). While melanoma accounts for roughly 4% of all skin cancers, it is responsible for more than 74% of skin cancer deaths. Treatment of melanoma in its early stages provides the best opportunity for cure.

Sebaceous cell carcinoma makes up 0.8% of all eyelid tumors, with a mortality rate is 22%. Sebaceous cell carcinomas are typically found in women, more often in the seventh decade of life, and they usually are on the upper eyelid margin. The clinical appearance of sebaceous gland carcinoma is highly variable. They more often occur on the upper eyelid and have a yellowish appearance.

Any lesion on an eyelid that is suspicious for a cancer requires a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. Early detection following by treatment to remove the cancer completely is critical to prevent undesirable growth.

There are many treatment options for eyelid wrinkles, sagging lower lids, drooping brows, and dark circles under the eyes.  One new exciting treatment is Pelleve, which was discussed in a recent Newsday article.  In this treatment, radiofrequency energy is introduced slowly to the skin.  Heat is created under the skin which stimulates collagen growth to tighten skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Please make an appointment with Dr. Rachel Ellis to discuss the many exciting and cost effective options for cosmetic enhancement of the eyelids and surrounding areas.

I saw a patient in the office today complaining about eyelid twitching that has persisted over the past few weeks.  He told me that he had recently started going to the gym again and has been taking this drink to get pumped up called Jack3d.  I quickly did a search to determine if this drink can cause the eyelid twitching, and all should beware.  There’s lots of stuff in there that could not only build extra muscles in the body where you want, but also cause your eyelid muscle to spasm…which you may not want so much.  The drink has caffeine, which has often been linked with eyelid spasm.  It also has arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, which is helps deliver nutrients to the muscles by improving blood flow.  The two together can really cause those eyelids to twitch!  So, next time you use supplements for your workout, think about the possible side effects that pumping your muscles may have on your eyelids.

There can be many causes of bumps on the eyelids. Often bumps can arise from a clogged gland in the eyelid and may be a benign cyst or chalazion. Other bumps can be a type of infection, which may or may not be contagious. If not treated early, a bump that is an infection may spread to the entire eyelid and may even cause decreased vision. Some bumps can be cancers on the eyelid.

Regardless of the cause of your eyelid bump, it should be evaluated. If it is irritating or growing, it can be easily removed in the office.

Dr. Rachel Ellis specializes in evaluating eyelid bumps and removing unwanted growths on the eyelids with beautiful cosmetic results. To request an appointment, call (516) 822-7546 or use this on-line request form.