Is Eyelid Surgery (blepharoplasty) Safe?
Eyelid surgery is undertaken for many reasons. With aging, the muscles around the eyelids weaken, and the skin stretches. Therefore, fat accumulates either above or below the eyes. The accumulated fat gives a baggy appearance beneath the eyes, causes the eyelids to droop, and can make your eyes look puffy. Heavy lids with extra skin reduce your peripheral vision, i.e., along with the upper and outer parts of the field of vision. Eyelid surgery is used to address all these conditions and also for cosmetic reasons where requested. It can be done on the upper or lower eyelids and is always done by a highly trained and qualified plastic surgeon called an oculoplastic surgeon.
What is Eyelid Surgery (blepharoplasty)?
Eyelid surgery, medically known as Blepharoplasty, is a type of surgery that fixes baggy eyelids. It involves removing excess skin, muscle, and fat. The surgeon cuts along the upper eyelid fold, removes all the excess skin, fat, and muscle, and carefully closes the cut. Suppose the upper eyelid droop is closer to the pupil. In that case, your surgeon will combine Blepharoplasty with ptosis to support the eyelid muscles.
The surgeon cuts along the natural crease or inside the lower lid for lower eyelid surgery. Then the excess fat, muscle, and sagging skin are removed, and then closes the cut.
Recovery from Blepharoplasty
The recovery period is short for Blepharoplasty. The bruising and swelling reduce within two weeks, depending on the care you take. Post-surgery, the first step is to follow all the instructions given by your doctor. Avoid exposing your eyes to sunlight, rubbing the eyes, watching too much TV or mobile. Take time off work or your daily activities and get sufficient sleep.
Let’s talk about safety now.
Remember that though eyelid surgery is a minor procedure, it is still surgery. So it goes without saying that it comes with some risks. The treating clinic and the surgeon take all the necessary steps to ensure safety. Still, you have a significant role to play too. In most cases, it is an outpatient procedure. Post-surgery patients experience swelling, bruising, dry eyes, sensitivity to light, watery eyes. However, these symptoms will go away in 2-4 weeks.
Some patients may also experience mild sequelae such as:-
- Reaction to the anesthesia
- Infection around the site of surgery
- Eyelid discoloration
- Difficulty with opening or closing your eyes
- Temporary blurry vision
- Unexpected scarring
Before going to the surgery, discuss your existing health condition freely with your doctor. For example, any current allergies, BP, Diabetes, heart problems, etc., should be fully disclosed. Know your risks and weigh them against the benefits. One should do this during their pre-surgical consultation. Make a fully informed decision, and you will be able to enjoy the benefits of eyelid surgery.
At Clinica Fai, we are happy to go through with you the entire process of Eyelid surgery. Just reach out to us at [email protected] or call us at +916281117454.
