Best Oculoplastic Surgeons in Athens – Top 5 (2026)

Choosing among the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens is an important decision for patients considering eyelid surgery, treatment for tear duct disorders, orbital disease or aesthetic procedures around the eyes. Oculoplastic surgery combines ophthalmology with reconstructive and facial surgery, so the specialist must understand both visual function and the delicate anatomy surrounding the eye. Even procedures that appear mainly cosmetic can influence eyelid closure, tear distribution and ocular comfort.

The best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens may treat ptosis, entropion, ectropion, eyelid tumours, tear duct obstruction, thyroid eye disease and orbital lesions, while also performing upper and lower blepharoplasty. Patients comparing the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens should focus on dedicated oculoplastic training, surgical experience and familiarity with the condition being treated. International fellowships and academic activity can also provide useful context.

For its 2026 guide, Athens Pulse presents five specialists with substantial backgrounds in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery. The selection of the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens is intended as an editorial starting point rather than an absolute medical ranking. Each doctor brings a different combination of eyelid, lacrimal, orbital and reconstructive experience.

How we chose the top 5 best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens

Athens Pulse considered subspecialty education, international fellowships, experience with eyelid, lacrimal and orbital surgery, academic work and leadership positions. When researching the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens, procedure-specific experience matters because oculoplastics includes several distinct areas rather than one single type of operation. A surgeon with extensive orbital experience may have a different profile from one whose practice focuses mainly on eyelid surgery.

The best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens should also recognise when an aesthetic concern has an ophthalmological component. The best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens may need to assess visual fields, dry eye, tear drainage or orbital anatomy before recommending treatment. Drooping eyelids can interfere with vision and tear duct obstruction can lead to recurrent infection.

Best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens – Top 5 specialists

Dimitra Portaliou, MD, PhD, FEBO

Dr. Dimitra Portaliou is an ophthalmic surgeon and oculoplastic specialist with training in Greece, the United States and the United Kingdom. She graduated from the University of Crete Medical School in 2004 and completed her ophthalmology residency at the Red Cross Hospital in Athens. With a Vardinoyannis Foundation scholarship, she spent a year at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami as a Research Fellow in eyelid and orbital reconstructive surgery. She later worked at Guy’s and St Thomas’ in London and, from 2019, held a permanent Consultant post in Oculoplastics at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.

Dr. Portaliou returned to Greece at the end of 2021 and has since served as Coordinating Director of the 2nd Ophthalmology Department at Metropolitan Hospital. Her practice includes eyelid, orbital and reconstructive procedures, with an emphasis on modern and minimally invasive approaches where appropriate. Patients researching the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens may find her Bascom Palmer training, NHS consultant experience and hospital leadership particularly relevant. Her profile may especially suit patients seeking experience in both functional reconstruction and aesthetic periocular treatment.

Ioannis Mavrikakis, MD, PhD

Dr. Ioannis Mavrikakis is an internationally recognised oculoplastic surgeon with extensive academic and clinical experience. Born in Athens, he graduated in 1997 from Charles University in Prague and subsequently trained in ophthalmology in the United Kingdom. His fellowships included eyelid and lacrimal surgery at Sussex Eye Hospital and Queen Victoria Hospital, followed by orbital training at the University of British Columbia under Professor Jack Rootman. After 13 years abroad, he returned to Greece in 2006 and later completed two doctorates through the University of Athens Medical School.

His professional record includes more than 60 international publications and recognition from the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2008 and 2010. He served as President of the Hellenic Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery from 2014 to 2022 and has also contributed to ESOPRS.

Athanasios Bezatis, MD, PhD, FEBOphth

Dr. Athanasios Bezatis is an ophthalmic surgeon working in oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery, cataract surgery and refractive surgery. After studying medicine in Athens, he trained in ophthalmology in Innsbruck and Bonn, where he also completed his PhD, and in 2013 obtained the European FEBO qualification. He later completed a cataract fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital and oculoplastic fellowships in Cambridge, Maidstone and Moorfields. He subsequently served at Moorfields as Consultant in Oculoplastics and Cataract Surgery.

In Greece, Dr. Bezatis has worked as a University Fellow at Attikon Hospital and as a consultant at Hygeia Hospital, while from 2026 he has headed the Ophthalmology Department at Hygeias Melathron Hospital. His reported experience includes more than 15,000 cataract operations and 3,500 eyelid and lacrimal procedures.

George Charonis, MD, PhD

Dr. George Charonis is an ophthalmic surgeon with a long academic and clinical career in the United States and Greece. He graduated from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, trained in general surgery in Baltimore and completed his ophthalmology residency at the University of Louisville. He then specialised in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA. He later served as Visiting Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at UCLA and became a Diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology.

After returning to Greece, Dr. Charonis directed the Orasis Eye Centre from 1997 to 2006 and later co-founded Athens Vision, where he has led the Oculoplastics Department ever since. His clinical interests include eyelid surgery, lacrimal disorders, orbital surgery and thyroid eye disease. His American academic background and long-standing leadership are notable parts of his profile. His experience may be especially relevant when functional eye concerns and reconstructive planning need to be considered together.

Ioannis Ntountas, MD, PhD

Dr. Ioannis Ntountas is an ophthalmologist and oculoplastic surgeon with specialist training in Greece, the United Kingdom, Italy and the United States. He studied medicine at the University of Milan and completed his ophthalmology residency at the General State Hospital of Athens before training in eyelid, orbital and lacrimal surgery at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham. He then continued at the Moran Eye Center in Utah and completed a Master’s degree in oculoplastics at the University of Naples Federico II. His academic work has included research on Graves’ disease and a PhD at the University of Athens focused on orbital tumours.

Dr. Ntountas has worked with the 1st University Ophthalmology Department at G. Gennimatas Hospital and with major private hospitals in Athens, while his experience also includes work in the UK’s NHS. He is a founding member of the Hellenic Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and helped bring the European Society’s annual congress to Greece in 2005 and 2016. Patients may consider his international training in eyelid, lacrimal and orbital surgery particularly relevant. His career also includes humanitarian work in Sudan, where he helped equip an ophthalmology clinic and trained local ophthalmologists.

What does an oculoplastic surgeon treat?

An oculoplastic surgeon is an ophthalmologist with additional training in surgery of the eyelids, tear drainage system, orbit and surrounding facial tissues. Patients seeking the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens may need treatment for ptosis, eyelid malposition, eyelid tumours, tear duct obstruction, thyroid eye disease, orbital lesions or trauma. Many specialists also perform upper and lower blepharoplasty.

The best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens should assess eyelid movement, eye closure, ocular surface health, tear drainage and orbital anatomy before recommending surgery. Patients with dry eye, previous ophthalmic surgery or chronic ocular surface disease may require additional evaluation. A cosmetic concern should not be considered separately from eye protection and visual function.

Patients may also consult the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens after trauma, tumour removal or previous surgery has altered the eyelids or surrounding tissues. Reconstruction may involve restoring eyelid position, replacing missing tissue or correcting scar-related changes. Complex cases can require cooperation with dermatologists, oncologists, radiologists or other ophthalmic specialists.

Blepharoplasty, ptosis and eyelid rejuvenation

Blepharoplasty may involve the upper eyelids, lower eyelids or both. Upper eyelid surgery can address excess skin that creates heaviness and, in selected patients, interferes with the visual field. Patients comparing the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens should ask whether excess skin is the true problem or whether brow descent or ptosis also contributes.

The best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens should assess lower eyelid support before lower blepharoplasty. Prominent fat pads, skin laxity and changes at the lid-cheek junction can require conservative tissue removal, fat repositioning or additional support. Excessive removal can create an unnatural appearance or contribute to eyelid malposition.

Ptosis describes an abnormally low position of the upper eyelid and is different from excess skin, although both can occur together. The best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens may use different techniques depending on eyelid muscle function, the cause of the ptosis and the amount of correction required. In some patients, surgery is mainly functional because the eyelid interferes with vision.

Tear duct, orbital and thyroid eye disease surgery

Excessive tearing can result from dry eye, eyelid malposition or obstruction of the tear drainage system. Patients consulting the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens should expect an assessment aimed at identifying the actual cause rather than assuming that watering means a blocked tear duct. When a significant obstruction is present, surgery may be used to restore drainage or create a new pathway.

Orbital surgery is more complex because the orbit contains the eye, muscles, nerves, vessels and supporting tissues. The best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens who treat orbital disease may manage tumours, inflammation, trauma and thyroid eye disease, often using imaging before surgery. Thyroid eye disease can cause bulging eyes, eyelid retraction, double vision and, in severe cases, pressure on the optic nerve.

Complex cases can require the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens to work with endocrinologists, radiologists, strabismus specialists or other surgeons. The objective is not only to improve appearance but also to protect vision and restore function where possible. Patients should ask whether treatment will require one procedure or several stages.

Consultation and recovery

The first consultation usually begins with a detailed ophthalmological and medical history. Patients meeting the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens should mention dry eye, visual symptoms, thyroid disease, previous eye surgery, contact lens use, trauma and prior cosmetic procedures. The surgeon may assess eyelid position, eye closure, tear drainage, eye movements and orbital anatomy.

The best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens should explain whether treatment is functional, reconstructive, cosmetic or a combination of these categories. Patients should ask how frequently the surgeon performs the proposed operation, what alternatives exist and which complications are most relevant. The discussion should include anesthesia, expected downtime and the possibility that more than one procedure may be necessary.

Recovery varies according to the operation performed. Patients comparing the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens should ask for procedure-specific guidance because a minor eyelid procedure and complex orbital reconstruction have very different recovery timelines. Swelling and bruising are common after many periocular operations.

The best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens should provide clear postoperative instructions and explain which symptoms require urgent review, particularly sudden visual changes, severe pain, excessive bleeding or rapidly increasing swelling. Follow-up appointments allow the surgeon to assess healing and eyelid position. Final results may take several weeks or months to settle, especially after more extensive reconstruction.

Frequently asked questions the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens receive

1. Who are the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens?

The best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens for an individual patient depend on the condition being treated and the procedure required. Dimitra M. Portaliou, Ioannis Mavrikakis, Thanos I. Bezatis, George Charonis and Ioannis Th. Ntountas all have specialist backgrounds in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery. Their experience covers different combinations of eyelid, lacrimal and orbital treatment.

2. What is the difference between an oculoplastic surgeon and a plastic surgeon?

An oculoplastic surgeon is an ophthalmologist who has completed additional training in surgery of the eyelids, orbit and tear drainage system. The best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens therefore combine ophthalmic knowledge with reconstructive and aesthetic surgical skills. A plastic surgeon may also perform cosmetic eyelid surgery but does not necessarily have the same background in ocular surface disease, lacrimal disorders or orbital pathology.

3. Is blepharoplasty only a cosmetic procedure?

No. Upper blepharoplasty may be performed for appearance, but excess upper eyelid skin can also contribute to heaviness or reduce the visual field in selected patients. The best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens should determine whether the problem is caused by excess skin, brow descent, true ptosis or a combination of these factors. Lower blepharoplasty is more commonly aesthetic, although eyelid support and ocular surface health still require careful assessment.

4. How long does recovery take after eyelid surgery?

Recovery depends on the exact procedure and the patient’s healing response. Swelling and bruising are common during the first week and usually improve progressively. Patients consulting the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens should ask when they can return to work, exercise, contact lenses and eye makeup.

5. When should I see an oculoplastic specialist?

Patients may benefit from specialist assessment for persistent eyelid drooping, eyelid malposition, excessive tearing, recurrent tear duct infections, orbital swelling, thyroid eye disease or suspicious eyelid lesions. The best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens can also assess cosmetic concerns when preserving normal eyelid movement and ocular surface health is an important part of treatment. Sudden visual loss, severe eye pain, acute trauma or rapidly increasing swelling should be treated as urgent medical problems.

Choosing an Oculoplastic Surgeon in Athens

Finding the best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens requires careful consideration of subspecialty training, procedure-specific experience and the complexity of the patient’s condition. The five doctors presented in this Athens Pulse guide have backgrounds that include advanced training in the United Kingdom, United States and continental Europe, academic work and leadership roles in ophthalmology. Patients should use these profiles as a starting point rather than assume that one surgeon is appropriate for every case.

The best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens for a particular patient should be able to protect eye function while addressing reconstructive or aesthetic goals. Postoperative support, experience with complications and realistic communication are as important as the planned result. Patients should feel comfortable asking questions and seeking another opinion for complex or elective procedures.

Athens Pulse Editorial Note

This Athens Pulse Top 5 (2026) guide presents five specialists based on professional information reviewed for editorial purposes. The criteria considered include medical education, subspecialty training, academic activity and clinical involvement in oculoplastic surgery. Particular attention is also given to the scope of each physician’s experience in eyelid, lacrimal, orbital and reconstructive procedures. The order of presentation reflects the editorial structure of the article and should not be interpreted as an independently verified comparison of surgical outcomes, complication rates or patient satisfaction.

The ranking is intended to provide readers with a useful starting point when researching specialists rather than to establish one physician as universally superior. Each patient may have different needs depending on the diagnosis, the complexity of the condition and the type of procedure required. The term best oculoplastic surgeons in Athens is therefore used within this editorial context and does not replace individualized medical assessment. A personal consultation remains essential before deciding which specialist is the most appropriate for a specific case.