Blepharoplasty

A preoperative comprehensive consultation is necessary before surgery to measure the eyelid and eyebrows and carefully examine your eye under a microscope. Your insurance company requires a taped and untaped visual field test to document the level of functional loss of vision. This test is performed by measuring the side vision with the eyelids in a relaxed position and then repeating the test with the eyelid skin taped in an upward position. Your insurance company also requires pre-operative photos to document the extent of the lid fold that is blocking your vision.

Every insurance company has specific guidelines as to whether you qualify as a candidate for a functional eyelid lift or blepharoplasty. It is your responsibility as a patient to check with your insurance carrier for information on the degree of coverage. However, at your pre-operative exam, we can discuss your findings and your specific policy’s requirements as to whether you qualify for insurance coverage of a functional eyelid lift.

In upper eyelid surgery, the oculoplastic surgeon first measures the excess skin and marks the incision in the natural 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 the natural lower lid fold so that it is inconspicuous along the lashline and hidden in the 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 hidden-incision transconjunctival eyelid lift or blepharoplasty. The incision, in this case, is made inside, behind the lower eyelid, and excess fatty material is removed and rearranged. 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.

You can usually go home the day of your surgery. Before you leave, a doctor or nurse will cover your eyes and eyelids with ointment and a bandage. Your eyelids may feel tight and sore as the numbing medicine wears off. However, the discomfort is easily controlled with pain medication.

Most patients have only mild bruising and swelling, and most can return to work with very little recovery time. Keep your head raised up as much as possible for several days. Place cold packs over the area to reduce swelling and bruising. Swelling and bruising following surgery lasts about two weeks, but complete healing takes a few months. Complications are rare and usually minor and will be discussed in detail with all patients considering blepharoplasty.

Incision lines may remain slightly pink for six months or more after surgery but will easily hide with makeup. They will fade eventually to a thin, barely visible white line. These results are often long-lasting for many people as they experience improved peripheral vision that enhances their ability to function on a daily basis.