Blepharoplasty (Eye Surgery)

Upper eyelid surgery

Upper eyelid surgery (upper blepharoplasty) is done to improve the appearance of the eyelids. In older patients, this may involve removing the drooping layers of skin that occur with aging. In younger patients, upper eyelid folds can be created or enhanced, and excess fat leading to a puffy appearance can be removed.

First, an incision is made over the desired fold to remove excess skin and fat. The cut edges are stitched to underlying structures to create an eyelid fold. When this heals, the scar is not visible as it is concealed within the eyelid fold.
In patients with minimal excess skin and fat, an eyelid fold can be created without any cuts being made, by placing stitches into the upper eyelid.

Upper eyelid surgery is usually done under local anesthesia and takes from 45 min to 1.5 hours. Recovery time varies with the technique chosen. When an incision is made, and skin and fat are removed, stitches are removed after 5 to 7 days and swelling gradually subsides over 2 to 3 weeks. When no incision is made, the period of swelling is typically much shorter.

Lower eyelid surgery

Lower eyelid surgery (lower blepharoplasty) is done to rejuvenate the lower eyelids. The presence of loose skin and excess fat (eye bags) impart an aging, tired look to the face.

When there are both excess skin and fat which need to be removed, and the skin of the lower eyelid needs to be tightened to restore its youthful appearance, an incision is made just below the lower eyelashes. This heals with an almost invisible scar. Excess fat is either removed or redistributed to smooth out the contours of the lower eyelid area.

When there is no need to remove excess skin, fat can be removed through a hidden incision placed on the inner aspect of the lower eyelid.