Eyelid Surgery - (Blepharoplasty)

Description

Corrects sagging, puffy or drooping eyelids, as well as bags and bulges above and below the eyes. The condition is caused when fat forces its way through layers of muscles. If surgery is used to correct visual field defects, upper-eyelid surgery may be covered by medical insurance.

Duration

1 to 3 hours for both eyelids.

Side Effects

Temporary tightness of eyelids, swelling, bruising, burning, and itching. Excessive tearing and sensitivity to light for first few weeks.

Recovery

Eyelids may feel tight and sore as the anesthesia wears off; however, any discomfort can be controlled with oral pain medication.
Reading: 2 or 3 days.
Back to work: 7 to 10 days.
Contact lenses: 2 weeks or more.
Strenuous activities, alcohol: about 3 weeks.
Bruising and swelling gone: several weeks.

Risks

Temporary blurred or double vision. Infection, bleeding. Swelling at the corners of the eyelids. Dry eyes. Formation of whiteheads. Slight asymmetry in healing or scarring. Difficulty in closing eyes completely (rarely permanent). Pulling down of the lower lids (may require further surgery).

Results

Several years. Sometimes permanent.

Technology

Drooping eyelids are corrected by incising a flap of skin just above the eyelid and removing excess skin and fat. For lower eyelid surgery, the incision to remove fat is hidden just under the lower lashes. However, blepharoplasty won’t remove crow’s feet and other wrinkles, or eliminate dark circles under the eyes. A surgeon may also use Transconjunctival blepharoplasty, another technique to remove excess under-eye fat; using tiny forceps by making an incision just inside the lower eyelid, in the pink area known as the conjunctival tissue.