The eyes have it

When our skin loses its elasticity and muscles begin to slacken, our eyes are one of the first places we notice signs of our age and experience. And this doesn't necessarily happen only after we hit 40. Some of us, even by our mid-30s, feel that our eyes no longer look wide and youthful, but are instead framed by wrinkles, lines and seemingly excessive folds of skin.

For some people, these changes are something that must be eradicated by any means possible. Last year, even 32-year-old Catherine Zeta Jones was rumoured to have had her lids altered in the pursuit of wider, childlike eyes (she later denied this). But however keen you are to cosmetically enhance the appearance of this delicate area, it is vital that you carefully consider all the surgical and non-surgical options - including possible side effects - before making any decisions:

Surgical options

The main type of surgery for eyes is called blepharoplasty, and it alters the upper and lower lids to improve the appearance of your eyes. You can, however, also improve the area around the eyes by having an endoscopic brow lift, otherwise known as an endoscopic forehead lift.

Blepharoplasty
Approximate cost: around #3,000 for upper and lower lids

How it works: By removing excess fat, skin and muscle from above or below the eyes, you can get rid of bags that are caused by the gradual stretching of the skin and from fatty deposits, or ease drooping eyelids to make you look more alert. However, blepharoplasty will not eliminate all wrinkles, crow's feet or dark circles under your eyes.