What is Eyelid Surgery?
Eyelid surgery, also known as blepharoplasty, improves the appearance of the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both. It gives a rejuvenated appearance to the surrounding area of your eyes, making you look more rested and alert. Blepharoplasty includes repairing droopy eyelids by removing excess skin, muscle and fat. As you age, your eyelids stretch, and the muscles supporting them weaken. As a result, excess fat may gather above and below your eyelids, causing sagging eyebrows, drooping upper lids and bags under your eyes. Besides making you look older, severely sagging skin around your eyes can impair your peripheral or side vision. Blepharoplasty can reduce or eliminate such impaired vision. To help decide if blepharoplasty is right for you, find out what results you can realistically expect and take time to explore the benefits and risks of the procedure.
Quick Facts
Correct drooping upper eyelids and puffy bags below the eyes by removing excess fat, skin and muscle.
- LENGTH: 1 to 2 hours
- ANESTHESIA: Local with sedation. Occasionally general – Usually Outpatient
- SIDE EFFECTS: Temporary discomfort, tightness of lids, swelling, bruising. Temporary dryness, burning, itching of eyes. Excessive tearing, sensitivity to light for the first few weeks.
- RISK: Temporary blurred or double vision; impaired vision (extremely rare.) Infection. Swelling at corners of eyelids; tiny whiteheads. Slight asymmetry in healing or scarring. Difficulty in closing eyes completely (rarely permanent). Pulling down of the lower lids (may require further surgery)
- RECOVERY: Tasks of daily living may be resumed immediately. Back to non-strenuous work (no lifting greater than 10 lbs) in 5 to 7 days. No strong pushing, pulling or repetitive upper body movements for 3 weeks.
- EXERCISE: Resume 1/3 intensity at 3 weeks. Low impact activities at 1/3 duration of exercise, repetitions, amount of weight and pulse rate. 2/3 intensity at 6 weeks. Full intensity including high impact (running, horseback riding, high impact aerobics) at 8 weeks
- READING: 2 or 3 days
- CONTACT LENSES: 2 weeks or more.
- BRUISING: 2 to 4 weeks
- SWELLING: Moderate/Significant 4 to 6 weeks, Subtle/Mild 2 to 3 months, all of which are dependent upon extent of procedure(s).
- DURATION of RESULTS: Many years. Sometimes permanent.
- OFFICE VISITS: 1st 3 to 5 days / 2nd Visit 5 to 14 days
Anticipated No. of office visits: 2 to 3 the first 3 months, 6 months then yearly - GARMENT WORN: N/A
- PAIN MEDS: Ibuprofen or Narcotics as needed
Eyelid Surgery Considerations
A blepharoplasty procedure is usually performed on adult men and women who have healthy facial tissue and muscles and who also have realistic goals for improvement of the upper and/or lower eyelids and surrounding area. The following conditions could indicate that eyelid surgery is right for you:
- Baggy or puffy upper eyelids.
- Excess skin obscuring the upper eyelid fold.
- Extensive drooping of the upper eyelid.
- Droopy lower eyelids that may cause white of the eye to show below the iris.
- Excess skin and fat pockets below the eyelids.
- Hollows or “dark circles” around the lower eyelids.
Benefits of Upper Eyelid Surgery
Drooping, sagging eyelids not only present a cosmetic flaw but can impair vision capabilities. Upper eyelid surgery is performed to remove excess fat, skin and tissue that is obstructing a percentage of the eye. Ultimately, the goal of this approach is to create an alert and attractive aesthetic while improving vision for a greater quality of life. This procedure can also make applying and wearing contact lenses as well as glasses to be much more comfortable.
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