Care After Blepharoplasty

Once the surgery is completed, the surgeon will apply some lubricating ointment in your eyes and cover the eyes with sterile gauze. In some cases the eyes will be loosely wrapped with a bandage.

The instructions to care for the eyes are simple and must be followed to prevent any undue complications.

You may be given tear drops if your eyes were dry.

You may be given an oral antibiotic to be taken for a few days.

The most common side effects after surgery include:

- swelling

- bruising

- redness

- pain

- dry eyes

- itching around the eyes

The swelling can be decreased by sleeping with the head elevated for the first 24 hours. The swelling gradually subsides over the next 24-48 hours. One may apply a cold compress to the eyes to decrease the swelling and pain.

The bruising and irritation usually subside in a week.

The pain is usually mild and easily controlled with over the counter pain medications.

The dressings over the eye are usually removed at the surgeon's office in 48-72 hours. If the surgeon used non absorbable stitches, a return visit will be required with 4-6 days.

Most individuals can resume their daily living activities in 24-48 hours.

However, sports and other activities have to be delayed for at least 4 weeks after surgery.

When going out, a sunscreen is recommended otherwise darkening of the skin incision will occur

The results of blepharoplasty are not permanent but last a long time. No one can reverse the signs of aging and some degree of sagging may occur in the future.

The final cosmetic results of blepharoplasty are not immediate and are seen after a few weeks. In some cases, the changes are gradual and the final result may take a few months to appear. The incision lines take at least 6-12 months to completely fade away

The cost of blepharoplasty is variable. Different individuals require different degrees of repair. However, the cost of fees may range anywhere from $ 1500-5000, depending on the extent of the procedure.

One has to inquire with the surgeon if this fee includes the cost of anesthesia and facility fee.

In most cases, blepharoplasty is considered a cosmetic procedure and is not covered under many insurance health plans. Only in a few cases where there is an associated medical condition such as ptosis (drooping eyelid) will the cost be partially covered.

Plastic surgeons always want to add on some type of cosmetic procedure to the blepharoplasty and you should seriously think what you want and whether it is necessary.

Never fall into the trap of having additional procedures without getting a second opinion.

Since you will be paying most of the fee, know the procedure and what you will get out of it and whether it will be worth it.