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EYELID SURGERY

• The best candidates for an eyelid surgery are men and women who are physically healthy, psychologically stable, and realistic in their expectations. Most are 35 or older, but if droopy, baggy eyelids run in your family, you may decide to have eyelid surgery at a younger age.

How is blepharoplasty performed?
The surgeon makes the incisions along the natural folds of the eyelids so that the resulting scars will be disguised. On the upper eyelids, the incision is done along the natural folds and, on the lower eyelids, it is done just below the eyelashes. In some cases, the incisions extend some millimeters beyond the corners of the eyes. Working through these incisions, the surgeon removes the excess fat that accumulates beneath the skin (two lumps in each upper eyelid and three in each lower eyelid). Apart from this, he trims the excess skin of the bags that give the eyes the appearance of being 'hanging'. After that, the incisions are closed with very fine sutures.

If you have fat lumps but you do not need to have any excess skin removed, your surgeon may perform a transconjunctival blepharoplasty. In this procedure, the incisions are made inside of the eyelids and they leave no visible scars but, it is necessary for the skin to be thick, firm and elastic, that is why it is generally indicated for young patients.

Anesthesia
Local anesthesia and complementary sedation.

Length of surgery
One to three hours, according to the complexity of the case.

Hospitalization
There is no need to be hospitalized; it is done on an outpatient basis.

Post operation
• After your eyelid surgery, the surgeon will probably lubricate your eyes with ointment and may apply a bandage.
• Your surgeon will instruct you to keep your head elevated for several days, and to use cold compresses to reduce swelling and bruising.
• For the first few weeks you may also experience excessive tearing, sensitivity to light, and temporary changes in your eyesight, such as blurring or double vision.
• For the first few weeks you may also experience excessive tearing, sensitivity to light, and temporary changes in your eyesight, such as blurring or double vision.
• Your surgeon will follow your progress very closely. The stitches will be removed two days to a week after surgery. Once they're out, the swelling and discoloration around your eyes will gradually subside, and you'll start to look and feel much better.

What does blepharoplasty do?
• It refreshes and rejuvenates the look by eliminating certain features that contribute to make one look older and tired, such as the 'bags' beneath the eyes and the excess skin in the 'drooping' upper eyelids.
• It eliminates lumps generated by the accumulation of fat inside the eyelids.
• It improves the sight by reducing the upper eyelids when they droop too much and interfere with the vision.
• It brightens the look and is often performed together with a temporal face lift.

What does blepharoplasty NOT do?
• It does not eliminate crow's feet.
• It does not eliminate dark circles under the eyes.
• It does not lift the eyebrows nor does it change their shape. If you think your eyebrows are too low or too straight, please read the information on brow lift surgery.

Bruises and swelling
They are moderate and last between two weeks and a month. They reach their peak during the first week and then they diminish progressively. Cold compresses greatly accelerate the healing process. During some days you will have to sleep with your head elevated, half seated.

Scars
Since they follow the natural lines of the eyelids (folds and wrinkles) they will be almost invisible once the healing process is completed.
Recovery

• You will have to rest at the hotel for 24 hours. You may be able to return to your social activities of job three or four days after the surgery. At first you may feel your eyes are too dry, you may experience irritation or itching. You may temporarily have double or blurred vision. You shouldn't be afraid, it's quite normal. During some days or weeks, your eyes may also be quite watery or become too sensitive to the light.
• You will not be able to wear contact lenses for two weeks approximately, and even after that period, once you may wear them again, you might not feel them as comfortable as before, but soon you will become used to them.
• Some people may experience depression during the recovery period. This is very usual after any kind of surgery, regardless of its triviality. You may even feel that you made a terrible mistake in deciding to have a surgery. But you shouldn't worry. Most of the people who today are happy and satisfied with the results of a surgery have also gone through that phase.

Possible risks and complications
It is very unlikely for a >blepharoplasty to present any complications when performed by a qualified surgeon. However, every surgical procedure, regardless of its triviality, has some risks and we should always think of them as a possibility.
• Adverse reactions to anesthesia.
• Infections, although they are very unusual if you take the right antibiotics.
• Hypertrophic scars or keloids (excessive scar tissue due to genetic traits).
• At first, some patients find it difficult to close their eyes when sleeping. But this is usually temporary.
• Ectropion. This occurs when there was an excessive removal of skin and the lower eyelid turns outwards revealing the underlying tissue. It can be corrected by means of a second surgery. Sometimes, the eyes remain wide open resulting in a quite unnatural look. Usually, this tends to correct by itself during the healing process, and the eyelids will acquire a natural look as the tissues relax.
• An excessive removal of fat from the lower eyelids may produce a 'sunken eyes' effect.

Before	After