Training and board certification
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Medical school | Columbia University Medical School |
| Ophthalmology | Board Certification in Ophthalmology earned at the University of Washington (as printed) |
| Additional training | Ophthalmic plastic and facial plastic surgery |
| Hospital role | Virginia Mason Medical Center from 1987: head of the Department of Ophthalmology and Director of the Oculoplastic Surgery Division for 10 years |
| Practice | Founded The Stern Center for Aesthetic Surgery, PC, in Bellevue in 1998 |
- Board certification as printed: "Diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology."
- Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery; member of the American Society of Liposuction Surgery and the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery.
- Instructor on the Botox Cosmetic National Education Faculty and the Radiesse Medical Education Faculty, and an instructor for Sciton Laser.
- Trained with Dr. Jeffrey Klein in tumescent liposuction in 2001.
Eyelid surgery work
- Traditional and laser blepharoplasty. The eyelid procedures page states Dr. Stern chooses between traditional eyelid surgery and laser eyelid surgery depending on the patient's condition. For upper eyelids he makes incisions along the natural creases and removes or repositions excess skin, fat and muscle, closing with fine sutures.
- Sutureless lower eyelid surgery. For lower eyelid bags the laser makes the incision from the inside of the eyelid to remove the fat pockets, with no skin incision and no sutures. Loose lower lid skin and crow's feet may be treated with laser resurfacing in place of skin removal (laser eyelid surgery).
- For a mild amount of upper lid skin, laser resurfacing without incisions may be enough; heavier lids need an incision.
- Most eyelid surgeries take one to two hours and are performed as outpatient procedures in the practice's Joint Commission-certified office surgery center. The laser page states the procedure takes about an hour.
- The eyelid page states eyelid surgery can be medically necessary when sagging upper lids obscure vision, and that Dr. Stern determines whether a patient's needs are medical or cosmetic.
- Brow lift. The brow lift page describes an endoscopic brow and forehead lift using a fiber optic camera through a half-inch incision behind the hairline. It may be combined with an S-lift, laser eyelid surgery or laser resurfacing.
- Galleries. The eyelid surgery gallery lists upper, lower, and upper and lower blepharoplasty cases, some combined with endoscopic brow lift. The brow and forehead lift gallery shows endoscopic brow lift cases, some with upper blepharoplasty or laser tightening of the upper eyelids.
Other procedures
The site lists the S-lift facelift, facial and neck liposuction, fat transfer, laser resurfacing, Halo, Moxi and BBL lasers, RF microneedling, PRP for hair, injectables and skin care (source).
Insurance and cost
- The site publishes no eyelid surgery prices and no statement on insurance or Medicare coverage.
- The patient info page lists an initial consultation fee of $195, and posts post-operative instructions for eyelid surgery.
Recovery
- Most patients return to work and normal activities in about 10 days.
- Cold packs at frequent intervals during the first 72 hours reduce bruising and swelling; sleeping with the head elevated for a few days is advised.
- Eye makeup may need to wait up to two weeks.
- Most patients drive after a few days, once vision is clear.
- The eyelid procedures page states most laser eyelid surgery patients return to normal activities within a week.