Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)

Is Eyelid Surgery right for me?
Surgical Procedure
Post-op Recovery
Complications and Risks

Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) is a popular cosmetic plastic surgery to remove excess skin, fat, or muscle from the upper and lower eyelids. Blepharoplasty cosmetic surgery improves baggy skin under the eyes, sinking upper eyelids, or drooping eye lashes that impair vision. The surgery may also be performed to treat a medical condition called ptosis (drooping eyelid), which is caused by poor muscle tone or nerve damage. Ptosis causes the eyelids to hang very low and block vision.

Blepharoplasty treats drooping eyelids, but not drooping eyebrows or wrinkles. Blepharoplasty is often performed with another cosmetic surgery such as a brow-lift or facelift to improve droopy eyebrows, crow’s feet, and facial sagging.

Eyelid surgery is usually performed on adult men and women who have healthy facial tissue and muscles and have realistic goals for improvement of the upper and/or lower eyelids and surrounding area.

Is Eyelid surgery right for me?
Good candidates are:

• Healthy individuals who do not have a life-threatening illness or medical conditions that can impair healing
• Non-smokers
• Individuals with a positive outlook and specific goals in mind for blepharoplasty
• Individuals without serious eye conditions

It is essential that you tell your surgeon or declare in your medical form if you have any of the following:

• Eye disease such as glaucoma, dry eye or a detached retina
• Thyroid disorders such as Graves’ disease and under or overactive thyroid
• Cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure or other circulatory disorders or diabetes

Surgical Procedure
The incision lines for eyelid surgery are designed for scars to be well concealed within the natural structures of the eyelid region.

Droopy conditions of the upper eyelid can be corrected through an incision within the natural crease of the upper eyelid allowing repositioning of fat deposits, tightening of muscles and tissue, and/or removal of excess skin.

Conditions of the lower eyelid may be corrected with an incision just below the lower lash line. Through this incision, excess skin in the lower eyelids is removed.

A transconjunctival incision, one hidden inside the lower eyelid, is an alternate technique to correct lower eyelid conditions and redistribute or remove excess fat.

The blepharoplasty procedure is often performed under local anesthesia — while you are sedated, numbed, and awake — in a Day Surgery Centre or hospital. General anesthesia (while you are asleep) may be used. Be sure to discuss the appropriate type of anesthesia with your surgeon and the anesthesia provider. Depending upon the number of eyelids and extent of the procedure, time in surgery may be up to three hours. Patients return home typically within hours of the surgery.

Post-op Recovery
The eyes will often be lubricated and covered with bandages after surgery. Pain and discomfort can be managed with oral medications. Unmanageable pain should be reported to your doctor immediately. The doctor will also prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection. Your surgeon will give specific instructions such as the proper way to clean your eyes, use of cold compresses, use of lubricating eye drops, head elevation and no contact lenses.

Bruising should subside in 5-10 days and swelling should subside in 2-4 weeks. Final results may appear in 1-2 months. Incision lines will continue to refine and fade for 1 year.

Complications and Risks
With any kind of medical treatment, there are always risks and it very important that you know and accept these risks before you decide to go for eyelid surgery. Following surgery, patients may experience tearing, itchy, burning eyes, dry eyes, light sensitivity, and blurred or double vision, which can persist for several days. These complications can be relieved with lubricating eye drops. There will also be some swelling around the eyes. Scarring is another possible complication. Sometimes patients will have difficulty closing their eyes when asleep: although very uncommon, this complication can be permanent. The lower lids may appear to be pulled down: this rare condition, called ectropion, may require additional surgery. There also may be some asymmetry to the eyes.

As with any surgery, there is risk of complications related to infection or reaction to anesthesia. You can avoid most complications by selecting the right plastic surgeon and following pre- and postoperative instructions. With proper precautions by the surgical team, complications are typically minimized or prevented.

You may want to take advantage our package promotion for multiple procedures in which you will get further savings compared to going for individual procedures at different times. You may want to consider a facelift and nose reshaping at the same time.