Prominent “reticular” veins (periorbital veins) around the eyes are a common concern, patients globally are unaware they can be effectively treated, non-surgically. Dr Peter Paraskevas from Paras Clinic – Vein Health Medical offers Australian and overseas patients a non-surgical treatment to successfully remove periorbital veins with no hospital stay.
Says Dr Paraskevas, “Periorbital” veins stretch underneath the eye- in the “Periocular Region” of the face. In normal circumstances, they are invisible under the skin, but sometimes an under-eye vein or temple vein can become enlarged. They can ache and appear more visible “like a bruise”, due to the thinner skin in these areas of the face. They can be “unsightly”, “uncomfortable” and the area around the eye can appear swollen.
The natural ageing process, weight loss, and genetic predisposition can all be reasons for more prominent veins to appear in the under-eye or temple area, with patients ranging from their early 20s to 80s. These veins are a common aesthetic concern, particularly for fairer-skinned people, and can be particularly distressing to both women and men as they make the under-eye areas look darker and are hard to disguise.
“The good news is that our clinic can treat periorbital veins just as easily as reticular/spider veins in the legs or any other part of the body. This procedure is non-surgical, relatively safe and quick lasting only several minutes with a high success rate. This treatment has seen us receive calls from all over Australia and as far as New York by patients who are relieved to discover there is a non-surgical solution available,” says Dr Peter Paraskevas.
About the treatment
Periorbital Vein Sclerotherapy involves injecting a small amount (less than 0.5 ml) of very low concentration Detergent Sclerosant into the small and visible veins lateral to the orbital rim. The needle is directed away from the eye, and the solution is injected on the outside of the orbit towards the ear. Following the administration of the solution, the vein will spasm and collapse eventually leading to a permanent hardening of the vein (sclerosis). Over time the vein will be absorbed by the body.
Sclerotherapy is not performed on any eyelid veins, inner orbital veins or forehead veins, as there is an unacceptable risk of sclerosant traveling into the veins of the eye or being injected into an artery. Smaller red veins around the eye are best treated with a Vascular Laser as they are too small to treat with sclerotherapy.
“With the advancement of medical technology, there is no reason to leave periorbital, reticular/spider or varicose veins untreated. I strongly encourage sufferers to add vein checkups to other regular health checks as there are many long-term complications if you leave veins untreated,” says Dr Paraskevas.
Key Takeaways
- Visible periorbital veins are dark veins around the under-eye/temple area that can be revealed with ageing, weight loss or because of genetic disposition.
- Direct vision sclerotherapy can be administered to remove them.
