What to Expect When You're Having Eyelid Surgery

Between eyelid surgeries that are performed for cosmetic reasons and those that are a required medical procedure to rectify obscured vision, around 150,000 people get eyelid surgery in the US every year. 

At DiGeronimo MD Advanced Plastic Surgery in Miami, Florida, Dr. Ernest M. DiGeronimo always walks you through your surgery beforehand, answering questions and ensuring you understand exactly how to prepare for, undergo, and recover from the process. He can help you decide if eyelid surgery is right for you.

Why do you need eyelid surgery?

Aging causes your eyelids to slowly start to droop and sag, a condition called ptosis. The amount of collagen and elastin in your skin starts to drop as you age, and production slows down.

This means the skin of your eyelids can start to stretch, making bags under your eyes and allowing top eyelids to hood your eyes or even drop down in front of your field of vision. Fatty deposits can make this worse.

Getting eyelid surgery for your upper lids, lower lids, or both can help fix the issue. Eyelid surgery is medically referred to as blepharoplasty. 

Preparing for blepharoplasty

Before you get scheduled for blepharoplasty, Dr. DeGeronimo does a complete exam of your eyelids and orders a visual fields test to see if your vision is being obscured. Once you’ve made the decision to undergo a blepharoplasty, it’s time to get ready.

The surgery itself only takes an hour or two, thanks to Dr. DeGeronimo’s minimally invasive and effective technique, so you’ll be able to return home the same day. Before your surgery, make sure you’ve done the following:

• Picked out something comfortable and loose-fitting to wear for your surgery day
• Arranged for someone to drive you home after your eyelid surgery
• Stopped smoking as this can cause extra bleeding and inhibit healing from surgery
• Discussed any medications/supplements in case any need to be skipped on surgery day
• Stayed away from sun tanning products or tanning beds for a week before surgery

 Once you're ready for your surgery, you’ll just have to wait for the big day.

Blepharoplasty surgery

Dr. DiGeronimo makes very tiny incisions so any scars will be hidden in the folds of your eyelids. Then he removes any fat globules, assesses the quality of skin and removes/tightens skin so your eyelids are smooth and younger looking. The sutures are incredibly tiny and shouldn’t keep you from blinking normally.

We’ll give you complete recovery instructions, and instruct you on how to tell the difference between typical redness, puffiness, and swelling around your eyes due to surgery, and signs of possible infection. Then you’ll be able to go home. If you don’t have someone who lives with you, your doctor may recommend a home nurse for a day or two since you might need a little help, especially if you have both your upper and lower lids on both eyes fixed.

Recovering from a blepharoplasty

You will experience some itching, and your eyes will probably feel dry for a few days up to a few weeks after the surgery. Make sure you don’t try to put contacts in, keep eye drops handy, and don’t touch your eyes or rub at them. 

Keep your face scrupulously clean, and change pillow cases often.  Sleep on your back to avoid irritation, propped up a little on a pillow if possible. You will not be able to wear contacts for a few days, so make sure to locate your glasses. 

Apply prescribed ointment as directed by our team, and use clean, cold compresses to deal with any swelling or discomfort. After a few days you’ll be feeling a lot better and your eyes will look close to normal again.  

Once you are mostly healed (typically after two weeks), Dr. DiGeronimo will remove your stitches. You’ll continue using ointment as your eyelids finish healing. There should be no visible scars, and you’ll look and feel younger. 

Want to learn more about eyelid surgery? Schedule a consultation by calling 208-225-4358, or request an appointment online.