Blepharoplasty or cosmetic eyelid surgery

In addition to carrying out facial reconstructive surgery to rebuild the tissues of the eyes after accidents or cancer surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgeons at The London Clinic offer aesthetic surgery to solve specific eye problems such as eye bags, droopy eyelids and loose skin around the eyes.

The skin around the eyes in particular loses elasticity as you grow older. Eyelid reduction and eye bag removal can regenerate a tired eye area, opening up the area between the brow and eye and reduce bags to make your face appear fresher and younger.

Blepharoplasty: cosmetic eyelid surgery

Blepharoplasty can be done either alone, or combined with brow-lifting techniques to lift the top part of the face. Although done for cosmetic reasons, a blepharoplasty can sometimes be done to improve vision. If you have excess skin that hangs down over your eyes, this can make seeing difficult, probably more than you realise. Patients who have the procedure report afterwards that they are no longer troubled by headaches or symptoms of heaviness and discomfort.

Before surgery you will have a full ophthalmic examination to make sure you do not have dry eye conditions, blepharitis or any other eye problem that could be exacerbated by surgery.

Blepharoplasty: what to expect

Whether your operation will be done under a local or general anaesthetic depends on each individual procedure. Eye drops will be used to anaesthetise your eyes and protective contact lenses will be placed over your eyes during surgery.

Blepharoplasty involves the removal of excess skin, muscle and fat from the upper and sometimes the lower lids. This may be combined with ptosis surgery to treat droopy eyelids if the eyelid height is low. Brow lifting techniques, either endoscopic or direct, can be performed simultaneously if necessary.

Upper eyelid surgery

The incisions are generally made along the natural crease of the skin using either a scalpel or surgical laser. Excess skin and fatty tissue is then removed together with a thin strip of muscle to give the eyelid more contour. The scar is hidden in the crease of the eyelid.

Lower eyelid surgery

Incisions are generally made just below the lower eyelashes. The skin and muscle is lifted allowing the surgeon to remove excess fat. The skin and muscle are then trimmed.

Recovering from blepharoplasty

You will feel bruised after surgery and your vision may be blurred for a couple of days. You will be able to read and watch television again about three to four days later. Your overall recovery time will depend on the extent of the surgical work you have undergone.

As a guide you can expect to be back at work in two weeks and back to normal activities including exercise within a month.

In some cases, patients may benefit from follow-up non-surgical treatments such as anti-wrinkle injections to further improve their facial aesthetics.