Blepharoplasty Procedure
- Blepharoplasty surgery is used to treat sagging and drooping eyelids. You will most likely notice a difference in your appearance after the surgery and your eyes will look younger and more refreshed.
- It can be a long-term solution to many functional problems.
During surgery
Most eyelid surgeries are performed using local anesthesia. Mild sedation may be used for some patients to keep them comfortably asleep during the surgery. If the procedure is more complicated and involves an additional surgery, or the patient’s anxiety levels are high, the surgeon may choose general anesthesia.
There are three main types of eyelid surgeries
- Lower blepharoplasty
- Upper blepharoplasty
- Transconjunctival Blepharoplasty
Lower Blepharoplasty
- The first step in lower blepharoplasty is placing of discreetly located incisions. The eye surgeon may place small and inconspicuous incisions in the natural skin creases beneath the lower eyelashes.
- Excess skin and fat is removed through these incisions and underlying muscles are tightened.
- If the surgeon reveals hollows beneath the lower eyelids, they may fill them with facial fat transfer or dermal filler injections.
- Sutures are used to close these incisions.
Upper Blepharoplasty
- After giving local or general anesthesia, the surgeon creates incisions in the natural creases of the upper lids.
- The second step will be to remove the saggy appearance of the eyelids and correct any vision obstruction issues by trimming away the excess skin through the incisions. At the same time, weak or loose underlying muscles may also be tightened.
- After removing the excess skin, the surgeon will lift and reattach the remaining skin to create a smooth, youthful upper lid appearance.
- Later, the incisions will be closed with fine sutures.
- Sometimes, both upper and lower eyelid surgery procedures may be performed together.
Transconjunctival Blepharoplasty
- If loose skin around the eyelids is not an issue, and the patient has pockets of excess fat in the area, a transconjunctival eyelid surgery may be advised. This procedure is relatively less invasive. Ideally, this surgery is suited for patients who do not require under eye bag reduction.
- After giving your local anesthesia, the surgeon places several tiny incisions inside the lower eyelid.
- Through the incisions, excess fat deposits are removed. Skin removal and muscle tightening is not performed.
- The procedure leaves no visible scars because the incisions are placed internally within the eyelids.
Blepharoplasty Benefits
- Blepharoplasty surgery is used to treat sagging and drooping eyelids. You will most likely notice a difference in your appearance after the surgery and your eyes will look younger and more refreshed.
- It can be a long-term solution to many functional problems.
Risks of Blepharoplasty
Possible risks associated with eyelid surgery may include the following:
Temporary vision problems
Following eyelid surgery, patients may experience double or blurred vision. This usually lasts for a few days after the surgery.
Eye closure problems
Some patients may have trouble closing their eyes at night and in rare cases, this condition may become permanent.
Swelling or asymmetry changes
There may be temporary swelling and a slight imbalance of one eye in relation to the other during the healing process.
Acne
Tiny whiteheads may appear after the stitches are removed. The whiteheads can be removed by the surgeon using a very fine needle.
Ectropion
The pulling down of the lower lids is an extremely rare complication. This symptom may necessitate additional surgery.
Blepharoplasty Recovery Time
- You will recover at home following surgery. You'll need someone to drive you because you won't be able to drive yourself.
- Your eyelids may feel tight in the short term, and you’re likely to have some swelling and bruising. You must keep your head elevated and apply cold compresses for 2-3 days.
- Dryness, itching, overactive tears and sensitivity to light are possible. These usually subside within several weeks.
- You can read or watch TV in two or three days and return to work in about 7-10 days.
- You can usually resume strenuous activity in about two weeks.
Blepharoplasty Precautions
Due to the sensitivity of the surgery, blepharoplasty requires a lot of precautions to be taken. Few such precautions are listed below.
- Due to the sensitivity of the surgery, blepharoplasty requires a lot of precautions to be taken. Few such precautions are listed below.
- Apply ice packs to your eyes for 10 minutes every hour the night after surgery. Apply ice packs to your eyes 4 to 5 times throughout the day, next day.
- Use prescribed eye drops or ointments.
- You should use painkillers and antibiotics prescribed by the doctor to control pain and infection.
- You should not do anything strenuous such as heavy lifting, swimming, jogging or aerobics for a week.
- You should not smoke.
- You should not rub your eyes.
- For about two weeks, you should avoid wearing contact lenses.
Blepharoplasty at Medicover
At Medicover Hospitals, we have the most experienced team of ophthalmologists delivering exceptional eye care to our patients. Our opthamologists at Medicover use a multidisciplinary approach to diagnose and treat conditions with utmost precision. We provide wide varieties of eye treatments using the most advanced technologies and world-class infrastructure bringing out the best results.
