Every year, one hundred thousand men and women choose Blepharoplasty to improve the
way they look. Droopy eyelids can make you look older and can also impair vision.
Blepharoplasty corrects these problems and also removes puffiness and bags under the eyes
that make you look worn and tired.
This procedure cannot alter dark circles, fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, nor can
it change sagging eyebrows.
Though Blepharoplasty is often performed as a single procedure, your surgeon may also
recommend a brow lift, facelift, or skin resurfacing to achieve the best results.
If you are wondering how Blepharoplasty can change the way you look, you need to know how
eyelid surgery is performed and what you can expect from this procedure. This pamphlet can
address many common questions and provide you the information to begin considering
Blepharoplasty.
Successful facial plastic surgery is a result of good rapport between patient and surgeon.
Trust, based on realistic expectations and exacting medical expertise, develops in the
consulting stages before surgery. Your surgeon can answer specific questions about your
specific needs.
As with all facial plastic surgery, good health and realistic expectations are
prerequisites. Blepharoplasty removes the excess fat, muscle, and skin
from both upper and lower lids. The results can be a refreshed appearance, with a younger,
firmer eye area.
People with circulatory, ophthalmological, or serious medical conditions must rely on the
diagnostic skills of their own personal specialists to determine whether Blepharoplasty is
an option to consider. Consultation with the facial plastic surgeon can help you decide
whether any additional, complementary surgery would increase the success of the surgery.
Your surgeon might recommend planning a simultaneous forehead lift to correct a drooping
brow and smooth the forehead, or skin resurfacing to remove the fine line wrinkling in the
eye area.
Making the decision for Blepharoplasty whether the surgery is desired for functional or
cosmetic reasons, your choice of a qualified facial plastic surgeon is of paramount
importance. The patient must also make the commitment to follow the pre-surgical and
post-operative instructions of the surgeon.
During the pre-surgical consultation, you will be examined or asked to answer queries
concerning vision, tear production, use of lenses, and your desires for surgery. Your
surgeon will explain what you can expect from Blepharoplasty and take a complete medical
history. Factors to be weighed include age, skin type, ethnic background, and degree of
vision obstruction. Furthermore, you can expect an open and honest exchange between you and
your surgeon, which will establish the basis for a successful outcome.
After both you and your surgeon make a mutual decision, the technique indicated for your
individual surgery will be discussed. The type of anesthesia, the surgical facility, any
supportive surgery, and the risks and costs inherent in the procedure will be outlined.
In upper eyelid surgery, the surgeon first marks the individual lines and creases of the
lids in order to keep the scars as invisible as possible along these natural folds. The
incision is made, and excess fat, muscle, and loose skin are removed. Fine sutures are used
to close the incisions, thereby minimizing the visibility of any scar.
In lower eyelid surgery, the surgeon makes the incision in an inconspicuous site along the
lash line and smile creases of the lower lid. Excess fat, muscle, and skin are then trimmed
away before the incision is closed with fine sutures. Eyelid puffiness caused primarily by
excess fat may be corrected by a transconjunctival Blepharoplasty.
The incision in this case is made inside the lower eyelid, and excess fatty material is
removed. When sutures are used to close this kind of incision, they are invisible to the
eye. They are also self-dissolving and leave no visible scar. Under normal conditions,
Blepharoplasty can take from one to two hours.
Immediately after the surgery has been completed, your surgeon may apply tiny sterile
bandages. This is not done for transconjunctival Blepharoplasty. It is not crucial that the
eyes be covered. However, an ointment to prevent dryness of the eye area may be used. A
certain degree of swelling and bruising is normal. Cold compresses, as well as head
elevation when lying down, will enhance healing and relieve discomfort. Your surgeon will
prescribe medication for discomfort.
For a week and a half following Blepharoplasty, you will clean the eye area (the eyes may
feel sticky, dry, and itchy). Eye drops may be recommended. Your surgeon will also list
activities and environments to avoid in the weeks immediately following surgery. Permanent
stitches will be removed in three to five days after surgery. Self-absorbing stitches will
dissolve on their own.
Facial plastic surgery makes it possible to correct many facial flaws and signs of premature
aging that can undermine self-confidence. By changing how you look, facial plastic surgery
can help change how you feel about yourself.
Insurance does not generally cover surgery that is done purely for cosmetic reasons. Surgery
to correct or improve vision or surgery for eye deformity or injury may be reimbursable in
whole or in part. It is the patient's responsibility to check with the insurance carrier for
information on the degree of coverage.