Training and board certification
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| MD | Stanford University School of Medicine |
| Residency | Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute |
| Fellowship | Oculoplastics (2 years), University of California San Diego Shiley Eye Institute, under Dr. Don Kikkawa and Dr. Bobby Korn |
- Board-certified ophthalmologist; one of about 800 members of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS).
- Professor at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, 2015-2021; currently Associate Clinical Professor and Chief of Oculoplastic Surgery, University of Hawai'i John A. Burns School of Medicine.
- 2016 Marvin L. Quickert Prize (ASOPRS) for thyroid eye disease research; 2020 Achievement Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology.
- Recognized as a Top Doctor by Castle Connolly (2019-2024), Honolulu Magazine (2022-2024) and Modern Luxury Magazine-Hawaii (2022-2024); Star Advertiser's Hawaii's Best - Plastic Surgery (2022); Honolulu Magazine's Best of Honolulu for Cosmetic Surgery (2024, 2025).
- Has given over 200 lectures at meetings including AAO, ASOPRS and the International Thyroid Eye Disease Society.
Eyelid surgery work
- Upper blepharoplasty. Incision hidden in the natural eyelid crease; fat is removed, repositioned or added as needed; often combined with ptosis repair or brow lift (source).
- Double eyelid surgery (Asian blepharoplasty). Creates or refines an eyelid crease using patient-specific technique choice, for patients with no natural crease or crease asymmetry (same page; source).
- Lower blepharoplasty. Fat removal and/or repositioning ("fat repositioning") through a hidden inner-eyelid incision, with a sub-lash incision if skin removal is needed; can include lower-lid tightening or a small cheek lift (source).
- Quad blepharoplasty. Combined upper and lower blepharoplasty in one procedure (same page; source).
- Male blepharoplasty. Dedicated page for blepharoplasty tailored to male patients (source).
- Ptosis repair. Four named techniques: internal (transconjunctival) ptosis surgery via a hidden under-lid incision with no skin incision, for mild ptosis; external ptosis repair via an upper-lid crease incision, for prior surgery or severe ptosis; frontalis sling, connecting the eyelid to the eyebrow with silicone bands for non-functioning levator muscle; and frontalis muscle advancement flap, an alternative to the sling that attaches the brow-lifting muscle directly to the eyelid without silicone (source). A dedicated revision ptosis surgery page also exists (source).
- Canthoplasty. Lateral canthoplasty creates, accentuates or restores an almond eye shape (canthoplasty).
- Brow lift. Endoscopic brow lift (hidden scalp incisions) or trichophytic brow lift (incision behind the hairline); can also reduce forehead height (source).
- Revision eyelid surgery. For patients unhappy with results of a prior eyelid surgery elsewhere, ranging from minor touch-ups to extensive reconstruction (source).
- Ectropion repair, entropion repair and eyelid lesions and reconstruction pages are also published (source, source, source).
Other procedures
Enucleation and evisceration, orbital surgery and thyroid eye disease; earlobe repair, face and neck lift, fat transfer, lip lift; non-surgical treatments including ablative laser skin resurfacing, chemical peel, dermal fillers, PicoSure Pro laser, UltraClear laser, laser sunspot/tattoo removal, lip fillers, microneedling/RF microneedling, neuromodulators, Sculptra, tear trough filler and scar treatment (drbradfordlee.com).
Insurance and cost
Upper blepharoplasty: "insurances will sometimes cover ... on visual grounds in severe cases" with documented peripheral vision loss (source). Lower blepharoplasty "does not cover" by insurance, being aesthetic (source). Ptosis surgery is covered "on visual grounds in more severe cases where the eyelid is within 2 mm of the pupil," based on photos, measurements and visual field testing (source). Double eyelid surgery is typically cosmetic and not covered unless combined with insurance-eligible upper eyelid surgery (source). No procedure prices are published; a financing page exists.
Recovery
- Bruising/swelling. Upper blepharoplasty: plan for bruising and swelling for at least a couple weeks; most patients look good by 1 month; final result at 3 months (longer in some Asian patients) (source).
- Sutures out. Upper blepharoplasty sutures dissolve on their own or are removed 10 days after surgery (same page).
- Exercise. Avoid heavy lifting, straining or bending for the first 2 weeks after blepharoplasty (same page).
- Final result. Ptosis surgery: most swelling gone by 1 month, final result at 3 months; sutures dissolve or are removed 1 week after surgery (source).
- Sutures out. Brow lift sutures and staples are removed after 7-10 days (source).