Eyelid Surgery
"Blepharoplasty"

.…your eyes…
a reflection of your inner beauty…

Your eyes are one of the first things people notice about you. Looseness of the eyelid skin and fatty bulges beneath the eyes can be inherited, or can be part of the normal process of aging, making us look tired or sad. Changes around the eye, such as descent of the eyebrows and cheeks can accentuate these changes even further.

Blepharoplasty can correct sagging eyelids by removing excess skin, fat, or muscle from the upper and lower eyelids. Occasionally, the brow or cheek may need to be lifted or filled out at the same time. Cosmetic blepharoplasty is designed to improve the appearance of our eyes. Blepharoplasty can also be reconstructive when the upper eyelids actually interfere with our vision, and can be covered by insurance if felt to be medically necessary.

How is the surgery done?

The surgery is done in an outpatient surgery centre, usually with local anesthesia (which numbs the area around the eyes) combined with intravenous medication or general anesthesia. The length of the operation depends on the extent of surgery, lasting from 1 to 3 hours. The incisions are made in the crease of your upper lids or just below the lashes of your lower lids and may extend into the laugh lines at the outer corners of your eyes. The excess bulging fat is removed or redistributed. The skin and muscles are then trimmed, and the incisions are closed with fine sutures. If there is no need to remove skin from the lower lids, a “transconjunctival blepharoplasty” can be done, where the incision is made inside your lower eyelid.

What to expect after surgery…

There are no dressings on the eyes after surgery, other than cool wet gauzes which are changed often to decrease the bruising and swelling. Ointment can be applied to the stitches to help keep them clean. Postoperative pain is controlled with prescription medications and it is important to keep activities to a minimum for several days.

The stitches are removed within a few days following surgery. Bruising usually subsides within a week or two and may be camouflaged with makeup if needed. Most patients return to work after a week and to more strenuous activities after 3 weeks.

Compartments of fat around the eyes
can cause heaviness of the upper eyelids
and "bags" under the lower eyelids.

Excess skin is removed following the natural lines
and creases around they eye.

Once healed, the scars are almost invisible.

What are the possible complications?

All surgery runs the risk of bleeding, infection and scarring. It is important to review and understand all of the possible complications with your plastic surgeon.

If you are interested…

Please call our office for further information.

The information in this brochure was prepared by Dr. Anna Drzewiecki and may not reflect the thoughts or approach of all plastic surgeons. The best way to obtain a better understanding of eyelid surgery is through a personal consultation with your plastic surgeon, at which time you should feel comfortable asking for any additional information.