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Facial Plast Surg
DOI: 10.1055/a-2589-3766
Original Research

Differences in Gaze Patterns for Facial Areas of the Asian Human Face between Female Patients Undergoing Upper Blepharoplasty and Nonoperators: An Eye-Tracking Analysis

Zexiong Cheng
1   Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
,
Wenjie Xia
2   Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
,
Jingping Shi
1   Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
,
Chi Zhang
3   Department of Orthodontics, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
4   State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Research, Prevention and Treatment for Oral Diseases, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
5   Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Stomatological Translational Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
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Abstract

Introduction

Blepharoplasty's psychological effects are well-studied, but its impact on social cognition, particularly gaze behavior, remains unexplored. Understanding how cosmetic surgery alters visual attention to faces has implications for patient counseling and social interaction research.

Objectives and Hypotheses

We hypothesized that postblepharoplasty patients would exhibit altered gaze patterns, specifically increased attention to eyes due to heightened self-awareness. Primary outcomes were fixation duration and time to first fixation on facial regions.

Study Design

Case-control study (STROBE guidelines) comparing 20 females who underwent upper blepharoplasty alone with 20 nonoperated controls.

Methods

Participants viewed standardized AI-generated Asian faces while eye-tracking recorded fixation metrics. ANOVA compared groups (IRB-approved). AI was used solely for image generation.

Results

Patients after upper blepharoplasty alone showed longer eye fixation (male: p = 0.03; female: p = 0.041) and faster female eye fixation (p = 0.029). Male forehead fixation increased (p = 0.004). Other regions showed no difference.

Conclusion

Blepharoplasty modifies visual attention, potentially reflecting postsurgical self-perception changes. Findings suggest cosmetic procedures may influence social cognition.

Keywords

upper blepharoplasty - eye-tracking - visual attention - facial perception


Publication History

Accepted Manuscript online:
16 April 2025

Article published online:
15 May 2025

© 2025. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
333 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA

 

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