The phrase “fox eye” describes a look, not an operation. It means an outer eye corner that sits slightly higher than the inner corner, so the eye reads as almond shaped rather than round or downturned. What produces that look surgically is a procedure on the outer corner of the eye, and it comes in two forms: canthopexy and canthoplasty. Which one you need depends on where your outer corner sits today, not on which one sounds more appealing.
This page explains what the operation actually does, how I choose between the two techniques, why I do not offer the thread version, and what recovery looks like.
What Is Canthoplasty?
The outer corner of the eye, where the upper and lower eyelids meet, is held in place by a small tendon called the lateral canthal tendon. It anchors the eyelids to the bone of the eye socket. Over time, or by natural anatomy, that tendon can loosen or sit low, which lets the outer corner drift downward and gives the eye a tired, rounded or sad appearance.
Canthoplasty is the operation that repositions that corner. Through a small incision hidden in the natural crease at the outer corner or using blepharoplasty incision, the tendon is released, shortened if needed, and reattached to the bone at a higher and tighter point. The result is a supported lower eyelid and a lifted outer corner. It is a structural change, which is why the result lasts.
Canthopexy or Canthoplasty: How I Decide
These two words are used interchangeably but they should not be.
Canthopexy tightens and supports the tendon without cutting it. A suture is placed to anchor the outer corner more firmly to the bone. It is a smaller procedure with a shorter recovery, and it is the right choice when the corner is not sitting far below where it should be. It gives support and a modest lift.
Canthoplasty cuts the tendon and reattaches it in a new position. It is the right choice when the outer corner sits low enough that simply tightening it would not move it where it needs to be. It produces a larger change and holds it, but it is a more involved operation with a longer settling period.
The decision is made in consultation, by looking at the position of the canthus and how much lower lid laxity there is. If the corner is not far below where it should be, canthopexy does the job with less surgery. If it sits low, tightening alone will not lift it, and the tendon needs to be released and repositioned. The patient’s need decides the technique, not the other way round.
One thing I want to be clear about: the dramatically pulled outer corners seen in filtered social media images are not what a well performed canthoplasty produces. That look is largely makeup, angle and editing. Surgery aims for a corner that sits where it would on a young, rested face, not one that looks stretched.
Why I Do Not Offer Fox Eye Threads
Most of what is marketed as a “fox eye lift” is a thread procedure: absorbable PDO threads placed through the temple to pull the outer brow and eye corner upward. It is quick, it needs no incision, and it is heavily advertised.
I do not offer it, and the reason is simple: it does not last. The threads dissolve, and the tissue returns to where it was. Published figures for how long the effect holds vary from six months to around a year and a half, and in my experience the eye area is where thread lifts hold least well, because there is very little tissue for the thread to grip and the skin is thin enough for irregularities to show. Patients then either repeat the procedure indefinitely or arrive in my clinic having spent money on something that has already worn off.
If the goal is a lasting change in the position of the outer corner, the honest answer is a canthopexy or canthoplasty. If the goal is a temporary tilt for an event, that is a different conversation, but it is not surgery and I do not think it is a good use of money.
Who Is a Good Candidate
The typical patient in my practice falls into one of two groups.
Younger patients who want a change of eye shape. People whose outer corners naturally sit level with or slightly below the inner corner, and who want a more almond shaped, lifted eye. This is usually a canthopexy or a modest canthoplasty, and it can be done on its own.
Patients whose outer corner has dropped with age. The lower eyelid has loosened, the corner has rounded, and the eye looks tired. This is almost always combined with lower blepharoplasty, and sometimes with a facelift, because the corner is rarely the only thing that has changed.
You are not a good candidate if you are expecting the exaggerated look from filtered images, if you have significant dry eye disease, or if you have had previous eyelid surgery that has left the lower lid retracted, in which case a more complex reconstruction may be needed first.
Combining With Blepharoplasty and Facelift
I rarely perform canthoplasty in isolation in patients over forty. The reason is that a lower blepharoplasty without canthal support risks pulling the lid down, and canthal support without addressing the excess skin and fat leaves the job half done. Doing them together in one session is safer and gives a more coherent result. You can read the full eyelid surgery guide on the blepharoplasty in Turkey page.
In facelift patients, canthopexy is often added at the same time to keep the outer eye corner in harmony with the lifted midface. The overview of what I do for the whole face is on the facial rejuvenation page.
The Procedure and Recovery
Canthopexy adds roughly fifteen to twenty minutes to a blepharoplasty. Canthoplasty as a standalone operation takes about an hour, and longer when combined with other procedures. It is performed under general anaesthesia.
The incision sits in the natural crease at the outer corner and is a few millimetres long. It is closed with fine sutures which are removed at around five to seven days.
- First week. Swelling and bruising at the outer corner, at their peak around day two to three. Cold compresses, head elevated, no screens or reading for long stretches. Sutures out at the end of the week.
- Weeks two to three. Most bruising has cleared. Patients are back to desk work by day seven to ten. The eye shape can look slightly overcorrected at this stage; that is expected and it softens.
- Weeks three to four. Light exercise resumes. Sunglasses outdoors are advisable for the first month.
- Two to three months. The corner has settled into its final position. This is when the result is properly assessed. Photographs taken at two weeks are not the result.
For canthopexy alone the timeline is shorter, with most patients presentable within a week. When combined with blepharoplasty or facelift, the recovery follows the larger procedure. If you want a day by day plan around your own surgery date, the recovery planner will build one.
Risks and Side Effects
Canthoplasty is a precise operation on a very visible structure, and the risks follow from that. The two that matter are asymmetry between the two eyes, and overcorrection, meaning a corner that sits too high or looks pulled. Both are related to how the tendon is anchored, which is why this is not a procedure to have done by someone who does it occasionally.
Temporary effects include swelling of the conjunctiva, dry or watery eyes for a few weeks, mild blurring of vision in the first days, and some numbness at the incision. Rarely, a small web of skin can form at the corner. As with any surgery there is a small risk of infection or bleeding.
Cost of Canthoplasty in Turkey
The cost depends on whether the procedure is a canthopexy or a full canthoplasty, whether it is done alone or with blepharoplasty or facelift, and the anaesthesia required. Treatment in Istanbul is substantially less expensive than the same operation in Western Europe or the United Kingdom, and the difference comes from local operating costs, not from any difference in the surgery itself. I give a written quotation after reviewing photographs, not before.
Send your photographs for an assessment. A straight on photograph with a neutral expression is enough for me to tell you whether the corner needs supporting or repositioning, and whether eyelid surgery should be part of the plan. info@mustafaaydinol.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Is fox eye surgery the same as canthoplasty?
The look people call fox eye is produced surgically by canthopexy or canthoplasty, which lift and support the outer corner of the eye. The thread version marketed under the same name is not surgery and does not last.
What is the difference between canthopexy and canthoplasty?
Canthopexy tightens the outer corner tendon with a suture without cutting it. Canthoplasty releases the tendon and reattaches it in a new, higher position. The first is for corners that do not sit far below where they should; the second is for corners that sit low.
How long do canthoplasty results last?
Canthoplasty is a structural repositioning of the tendon and the result is long lasting. It does not stop the face from ageing, but the corner does not simply return to its old position.
Will there be a visible scar?
The incision is a few millimetres long and sits in the natural crease at the outer corner. Once healed it is very difficult to see.
Can canthoplasty be done without blepharoplasty?
Yes, in younger patients who want a change in eye shape and have no excess skin or fat. In patients over forty it is usually combined with lower blepharoplasty.
Why do you not do the thread fox eye lift?
Because the effect is temporary. The threads absorb and the tissue returns to where it was, usually within a year. For a lasting change the tendon needs to be supported or repositioned.
About the Surgeon
Dr Mustafa Aydınol is a plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon practising in Istanbul, a member of ISAPS and of the Turkish Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. The practice holds Health Tourism Authorization from the Turkish Ministry of Health.
