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Blepharoplasty

Why it’s done

You might consider blepharoplasty if droopy or sagging eyelids keep your eyes from opening completely or pull down your lower eyelids. Removing excess tissue from your upper eyelids can improve your vision. Upper and lower lid blepharoplasty can make your eyes appear younger and more alert.

Blepharoplasty may be an option if you have:
  • Baggy or droopy upper eyelids
  • Excess skin of the upper eyelids that interferes with your peripheral vision
  • Excess skin on the lower eyelids
  • Bags under your eyes

Overview

How blepharoplasty is done

During blepharoplasty, Mr Kheterpal cuts along the creases of your eyelids to trim sagging skin and muscle and remove excess fat. After the excess tissue is removed, he joins the skin with tiny stitches.

Blepharoplasty a type of surgery that repairs droopy eyelids and may involve removing excess skin, muscle and fat. As you age, your eyelids stretch, and the muscles supporting them weaken. As a result, excess fat may gather above and below your eyelids, causing sagging eyebrows, droopy upper lids and bags under your eyes.

Besides making you look older, severely sagging skin around your eyes can reduce your side vision (peripheral vision), especially the upper and outer parts of your field of vision. Blepharoplasty can reduce or eliminate these vision problems and make your eyes appear younger and more alert.

To help decide if blepharoplasty is right for you, find out what you can realistically expect and explore the benefits and risks of blepharoplasty.

Risks
Possible risks of eyelid surgery include:
  • Infection and bleeding
  • Dry, irritated eyes
  • Difficulty closing your eyes or other eyelid problems
  • Noticeable scarring
  • Injury to eye muscles
  • Skin discoloration
  • The need for follow-up surgery
  • Temporarily blurred vision or, rarely, loss of eyesight
  • Risks associated with surgery in general, including reaction to anesthesia

Ask about how surgical risks apply to you. Understanding what’s involved in blepharoplasty and weighing the benefits and risks can help you decide if this procedure is a good option.

How you prepare
Do discuss with your surgeon:
  • Your medical history. Mr. Kheterpal will ask questions about previous surgeries and past or current conditions, such as dry eyes, glaucoma, allergies, circulatory problems, thyroid problems and diabetes. He will also ask about your use of medications, vitamins, supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drugs.
  • Your expectations. An honest discussion of your hopes and motivation for surgery will help set the stage for a satisfactory outcome. Mr. Kheterpal will discuss with you whether the procedure is likely to work well for you.
Before the procedure

Blepharoplasty is usually done as a day case. Your surgeon injects numbing medication into your eyelids and administers intravenous medication to help you relax.

During the procedure

The procedure is usually done under a local anaesthetic often with a sedative to make you relaxed.

If you have surgery on your upper and lower eyelids, Mr. Kheterpal generally works on your upper lids first. He or she cuts along the fold of the eyelid, removes some excess skin, muscle and possibly fat, and closes the cut.

On the lower lid, he makes a cut just below the lashes in your eye’s natural crease or inside the lower lid. He or she removes or redistributes excess fat, muscle and sagging skin, and closes the cut.

If your upper eyelid droops close to your pupil, Mr. Kheterpal may do blepharoplasty with a procedure called ptosis that provides additional support to the eyebrow muscle.

After the procedure

After surgery you spend time in a recovery room, where you are monitored for complications. You can leave later that day to recuperate at home.

After surgery you may temporarily experience:
  • Blurred vision from the lubricating ointment applied to your eyes
  • Watering eyes
  • Light sensitivity
  • Double vision
  • Puffy, numb eyelids
  • Swelling and bruising similarto having black eyes
  • Pain or discomfort
Mr. Kheterpal will likely suggest you take the following steps after surgery:
  • Use ice packs frequently for the first 48 hours
  • Gently clean your eyelids and use prescribed eyedrops or ointments.
  • Avoid straining, heavy lifting and swimming for a week.
  • Avoid strenuous activities, such as aerobics and jogging, for a week.
  • Avoid smoking.
  • Avoid rubbing your eyes.
  • If you use contact lenses, don’t put them in for about two weeks after surgery.
  • Wear darkly tinted sunglasses to protect the skin of your eyelids from sun and wind.
  • Sleep with your head raised higher than your chest for a few days.
  • Apply cool compresses to reduce swelling.
  • After a few days, return to have stitches removed, if needed.
  • For about a week, avoid aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium and other medications or herbal supplements that may increase bleeding. If needed, use paracetamol to control pain.
Results

Many people express satisfaction with the results of blepharoplasty, such as a more rested and youthful appearance and more self-confidence. Most people are very happy and careful pre operative preparation and understanding of the risks and limitations of the surgery can reduce the chances of misunderstanding afterwards. For some people, results of surgery may last a lifetime. For others, droopy eyelids may recur.

Bruising and swelling generally subside in 14- 28 days, which may be when you feel comfortable going out in public again. Scars from the surgical cuts may take months to fade. Take care to protect your delicate eyelid skin from too much sun exposure.Overall healing may take 3 to 12 months so some patience is required.