Upturned eyes are an eye shape where the outer corner sits higher than the inner corner, forming a narrow, slightly slanted angle that reads as sharp and striking. The look is common across Asian faces and is often paired with a low or single eyelid crease.
Correcting markedly upturned eyes with makeup or a monolid is free at home, while surgical lowering of the outer corner in Vietnam generally costs around 15,000,000 to 40,000,000 VND (about 570 to 1,520 USD). This guide explains the trait, whether it is considered good or bad, and the best way to soften it.
What Are Upturned Eyes?
Upturned eyes are a widely seen Asian eye shape defined by an outer corner that tilts upward, creating a tight, pointed angle. This shape frequently comes with a low or hidden crease, which lends a keen, distinctive, and confident appearance.
Beyond the standard lifted shape, several related variations fall under the same trait:
- Strongly upturned eyes: The outer corner rises even higher than usual, which can make the first impression feel intense or slightly sly.
- Eyes upturned in line with the brows: The eye and the eyebrow both slant up toward the tail, giving the face a cool, hard-to-approach quality.
- Downturned-then-pinched eyes: When the tail pulls the eye smaller and narrower, the whole face can read as heavy or melancholic.
- Asymmetric upturned eyes (one side or both): Uneven lift makes the face look off-balance and less harmonious.
Although upturned eyes carry a unique charm, they are not always rated highly by conventional beauty standards. The reasons are a perceived lack of softness and a sense of facial imbalance. The shape can also make the iris look more exposed or slightly protruding, which reduces overall harmony. In day-to-day interactions, that first impression can work against you, which is why many individuals look for ways to soften the angle.
Are Upturned Eyes Good or Bad? Should You Fix Them?
Upturned eyes are not inherently a flaw. With the right makeup and styling, this shape becomes a magnetic focal point that sets your face apart. The decision to change anything depends entirely on how the shape affects your appearance and confidence.
When the lift is extreme, throws off facial balance, or leaves you self-conscious in social and professional settings, seeking a correction is a reasonable choice. The best approach is to weigh how much the shape bothers you against how natural a result you want.
Aside from appearance, some individuals pursue upturned-eye correction for reasons rooted in face reading. Folk belief holds that people with this eye shape are clever and quick-witted but tend to meet obstacles in life, careers, and relationships.
Clients who hold these beliefs often want to change the look of the eye in hopes of shifting their fortune. Whether the motivation is aesthetic, emotional, or cultural, the deciding factor should always be your own comfort and goals.
How to Fix Upturned Eyes With Makeup
For a mild upward tilt, makeup is the fastest, lowest-commitment way to bring the eyes into balance with the rest of the face. These techniques temporarily reshape how the eye reads without any downtime.
- Lift the crease: Use eyelid tape or glue to create a clearer fold, which makes the eyes look rounder and more even (skip this step if you already have a double eyelid).
- Apply eyeshadow strategically: Choose soft, light tones such as pink, peach, or brown on the lid to ease any harsh edge, then place a darker shade at the tail to fake a wider, lower outer corner.
- Draw a softening eyeliner: Trace a thin line from the center of the lid outward, keeping the tail level or angled gently downward for a warmer, friendlier finish.
- Curl and coat the lashes: Pick a volumizing, curling mascara to open the eyes and add sparkle.
- Add light contour: Blend a soft shadow into the eye socket to build depth and a more expressive gaze.
- Define the under-eye: Trace over the lower eye bag line with a deep brown to mask dark circles and create contrast that makes the eyes look bigger and rounder.
Makeup is a powerful short-term tool for masking the upturned shape when you head out. For naturally balanced eyes over the long run, pair it with the gentle at-home habits below.
How to Fix Upturned Eyes at Home?
When the tilt is slight, consistent daily care can gradually support a softer, more rested eye area. These methods will not reshape the anatomy, but they help the eyes look brighter and less strained.
- Eye massage: Start at the inner corner and move your fingertip in small circles outward toward the tail, using gentle pressure to boost circulation, ease fatigue, and brighten the eyes.
- Eye exercises: Simple drills such as focusing on far objects, rolling the eyes in circles, and squeezing them shut then opening wide can improve flexibility and a sense of balance.
- Better sleep posture and rest: Sleep underpins eye health, so aim for 7 to 8 hours each night to let the eyes recover and look refreshed.
When none of these measures resolve a pronounced upturned shape, the most effective path is a consultation with a qualified surgeon for a tailored plan.
How to Fix Upturned Eyes With Surgery?
When the lift is structural rather than cosmetic, surgery is the only way to permanently lower the outer corner and reshape the eye. Several techniques address upturned eyes, and the right one depends on how high the tail sits, the eyelid structure, and the result you want.
1. Outer corner lowering
This is the core procedure for upturned eyes. The surgeon repositions the lateral canthus (the outer corner where the upper and lower lids meet) downward and outward, which lowers the tail of the eye, enlarges the opening, and softens a sharp slant into a rounder, gentler shape.
2. Lateral canthoplasty for widening
When the goal is a longer, larger eye rather than only a lower angle, the outer corner is opened to extend the eye horizontally, often combined with lowering for a balanced result.
3. Drooping eye corner surgery with the lower lid
For a strongly upturned tail, the technique adjusts the lower eyelid margin alongside the canthus so the outer corner settles into a softer downward line, which removes the fierce or severe look.
4. Canthoplasty combined with double eyelid surgery
Because upturned eyes often come with a low or single crease, pairing corner lowering with a crease-forming procedure creates a brighter, fuller, and more youthful eye in one session.
[Illustration of lateral canthoplasty showing the outer corner being repositioned downward]
A thorough consultation determines candidacy, since canthoplasty suits individuals with a genuinely high outer corner, asymmetry between the eyes, or a slant that affects facial harmony.
As with any eye procedure, the trade-offs include temporary swelling and bruising, a recovery window of one to two weeks for the visible signs to settle, and a small risk of asymmetry or scarring that an experienced surgeon works to minimize. A balanced view of both the benefits and these risks is the surest foundation for a confident decision.
How Much Does Canthoplasty Cost in Vietnam?
Canthoplasty cost in Vietnam generally ranges from about 15,000,000 to 40,000,000 VND (roughly 570 to 1,520 USD), depending on the technique, the complexity of the correction, and the surgeon’s experience. Outer corner lowering alone sits at the lower end, while combined procedures (lowering plus widening or a double eyelid) reach the upper end.
For context, the same procedure averages 1,000 to 2,500 USD in South Korea and around 6,400 USD in the United States, which is why Vietnam has become a value destination for cosmetic eye surgery. The most reliable way to get an accurate figure is a personalized quote after an in-person assessment, since the final price reflects your specific anatomy and goals.
What Canthoplasty Results Look Like?
Canthoplasty photos are the clearest evidence of how outer corner lowering transforms an upturned eye. After the procedure, the tail of the eye sits lower, the opening looks larger and rounder, and the overall gaze shifts from sharp to soft and approachable.
Reviewing real before-and-after cases during your consultation helps set realistic expectations and confirms the surgeon’s eye for natural, balanced proportions. Look for results where the eyes match each other, the crease looks organic, and the correction suits the rest of the face rather than overcorrecting into a downturned shape.
→ Learn more at: eyelid cut at Keangnam Korea
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What causes upturned eyes?
Upturned eyes are most often a natural, inherited trait determined by the position of the outer corner and the surrounding muscle and bone structure. They are not a medical problem, simply a variation in eye shape.
Are upturned eyes attractive?
Many people find upturned eyes striking and distinctive, and the shape is widely associated with a sharp, confident look. Attractiveness is subjective, and makeup or surgery can soften the angle if you prefer a rounder, gentler appearance.
Can you fix upturned eyes without surgery?
Mild cases respond well to makeup techniques and consistent eye care habits. These approaches change how the eyes look temporarily but cannot reposition the outer corner, which only surgery can do permanently.
What is the difference between canthoplasty and canthopexy?
Canthoplasty reshapes and repositions the outer corner by detaching and resetting the canthal tendon, making it the procedure used to lower an upturned eye. Canthopexy only tightens or anchors the existing tendon without fully detaching it, so it offers a more limited change.
How long is the recovery after lateral canthoplasty?
Most visible swelling and bruising settle within one to two weeks, while the final shape continues to refine over one to three months as the tissues fully heal.
How long do canthoplasty results last?
Outer corner lowering is considered a permanent structural change, so the reshaped eye holds long term, though natural aging continues to affect the eye area over the years.
Is canthoplasty painful?
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia, so discomfort during surgery is minimal, and any soreness afterward is typically mild and managed with prescribed care.
