Eyelid surgery and recovery

• Incisions are made following the natural lines of your eyelids, in the creases of the upper lids and just below the lashes in the lower lids.
• Skin is separated from underlying fatty tissue and muscle.
• Excess fat is removed; sagging skin and muscle are trimmed.
• Incisions are closed with very thin sutures (stitches).

If you have a pocket of fat beneath your lower eyelids, but do not need to have any skin removed, your surgeon may perform a transconjunctival blepharoplasty. In this procedure, the incision is made inside your lower eyelid, leaving no visible scar. The procedure usually is performed on younger patients with thicker, more elastic skin.

Your surgeon will add ointment to the skin surrounding your eyes and apply a bandage to your eyes. As the anesthesia wears off, your eyelids may feel tight and sore, but any discomfort can be controlled with pain medication prescribed by your surgeon. For severe pain, immediately call your surgeon.

Keep your head elevated for several days and use cold compresses to reduce swelling and bruising. Bruising varies from person to person. It reaches its peak during the first few days. You will learn how to clean your eyes, since at first your eyelids may feel dry and may burn or itch. Many surgeons recommend eye drops. For the first few weeks, you also may experience excessive tearing, sensitivity to light and temporary changes in your eyesight, such as blurring or double vision.

Your surgeon will monitor you closely for one week to two weeks. Stitches will be removed two days to a week after surgery. Once the stitches are removed, swelling and discoloring around the eyes gradually will get better.

Most people go out in public in seven days to 10 days. Bruising may last up to three weeks. Depending on how fast you heal and your surgeon's instructions, you may be able to wear makeup to hide remaining bruises. You may be sensitive to sunlight, wind and other irritants for several weeks, so be sure to wear sunglasses and special sunblock for your eyelids when outside.

You may need to limit activities for three days to five days and avoid strenuous activities for about three weeks. It is important to avoid activities that raise your blood pressure, including bending, lifting and rigorous sports. You also may need to avoid alcohol, since it causes fluid retention.

Healing takes time and scars may remain slightly pink for at least six months. Scars eventually fade to thin, nearly invisible white lines. The positive results of your eyelid surgery will last for years and, for some people, results are permanent.