How Should I Prepare for Eyelid Surgery ?

You will need to have another person drive you home after your surgery. You should also have someone stay with you the night of the procedure.
Expect and plan to stay home from work and limit your activities for several days after surgery to give your eyelids a chance heal. Some patients experience dry eyes after surgery, but the condition rarely lasts more than two weeks. If you have dry eyes lasting more than two weeks, contact your doctor.

How Is The Operation Done ?

Marking of excess skin and fat bulges is done in a standing position. The surgery can be doneunder local or general anesthesia and the incision is made in the natural crease of the lid. The excess skin is removed and the fat excised or relocatedand the incision closed by sutures. This leaves a very thin scar in the area which fades over time.
Surgeryon the lower lid depends on the preoperative condition. Bulging fat from lower lid without excess skin is treated by a transconjunctival blepharoplasty (Scar lessand stitch less). Excess skin and muscle require excision of the same and will leave a scar very close to the edge of the lid. Some time there may be too much laxityof the lid exposing the conjunctiva and causing tearing which may require tightening of the lid in the horizontal direction at the corner of the eye called canthoplasty.

How Is the Procedure Performed ?

If you are having the procedure completed at a hospital or surgical center, you will most likely receive intravenous sedation.

If you’re having all four eyelids done, the surgeon will probably work on the upper lids first. The surgeon will usually make incisions following the natural lines of your eyelids. Through these incisions, he or she will separate the skin from the underlying tissue and remove the excess fat, skin and muscle. The incisions are then closed with very small sutures. There will be sutures in both upper lids that will remain for three to six days. The lower lids may or may not require sutures depending upon the technique used.

Surgery on the lower eyelids may be done using one of several techniques. The transconjunctival technique is performed by making an incision inside the eyelid. No incision is visible following surgery. Through the incision, fat may be removed to correct baggy lower eyelids. Then, fine lines in the skin can be softened using a C02 or erbium laser.

Risk of Operation

Due to scar contraction, rarely there is pulling of lid downwards called ectropion. Dryness of eyes and visible scarring are rare.

Side effects

Temporary discomfort in vision and the itching of the eyes can take place. The light sensitivity remains or few days. The temporary dryness of the eyes remains for few days; you should consult your surgeon before and after the Blepharoplasty surgery.