- Eyelid Surgery
- Introduction
- How It Is Done
- Patient Photographs
- What to Expect After Surgery
- Complications
- Care After Surgery
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Rhinoplasty
- Submental Liposuction
- Chin and Jawline Enhancement
- Facelift
- Liposuction
- Male Breast Reduction
- Calf Augmentation
- Laser Hair Removal
- Complete Facial Rejuvenation
Eyelid Surgery - Care After Surgery
You will experience a variable degree of swelling and bruising of your eyelids. Your eyelids may be swollen half way shut or even completely closed the morning after surgery.
- Because of swelling, your eyelids may not close completely for several days. During this time, it is vital to keep the corneas from drying out. Keep the eyes well lubricated with artificial tears during the day and ophthalmic ointment at night. Dryness of the corneas can cause serious problems and is best avoided.
- Elevation is most useful to reduce swelling. If the head is kept higher than the rest of the body, there is less pressure and swelling will go down faster. Sleep in a recliner or in a bed with several pillows for the first few nights. After that, elevation becomes less important and you should just sleep normally again.
- Ice packs or cold packs with a protective layer of a soft washcloth next to the skin should be applied during the first 24 hours to help reduce swelling. These can be applied intermittently (about 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off) but it's also important to get some sleep, so don't try to follow this timetable exactly.
- Don't worry about the white part of the eye turning red.
This does not mean there has been trauma to the eye itself. It simply represents blood which has tracked around from the eyelid incision, and is now exposed under the transparent "skin" of the eye itself. It will gradually be absorbed over the next few weeks. - Chemosis: The transparent lining tissues of the eye may swell producing a bubble, but this will gradually resolve on its own.
- Tearing is normal because the eyelids are swollen and their tear-collecting mechanism is temporarily impaired. Tears, which are produced by the lacrimal gland, start going over the edge of the eyelid. The lower lid has a small hole ("lacrimal punctum") that collects tear fluid. It acts like the skimmer of a swimming pool.
- Tearing also occurs as the swelling goes down, the lower eyelid collecting tube starts working again and the problem goes away. Patients also experience tearing because the eye is drier from tear evaporation and the lacrimal gland may be over-stimulated. This problem responds to the administration of drops or lubricant to keep the eye from getting dry.
- Sutures: The upper eyelid suture is a single thread that comes out three to five days after surgery by simply pulling on one end. The lower eyelid suture either dissolves on the inside of the eyelid if a transconjunctival approach is used, or is removed by pulling on one end (similar to the upper lid suture). After the sutures are removed, the eyelid skin relaxes, the eyelids feel better, and it is usually easier to completely close the eyelids.
The small semi-transparent tapes may come off on their own, or I take them off when I remove the sutures. They are simply there to hold down the ends of the sutures, so they don't tickle, and do not need to be replaced. - You may shower on the morning after surgery. Be sure to use an antibiotic ointment along the incisions to help to keep the wounds from drying out. Keep any crusts loose so they will come off easily on their own when bathing. Do not try to remove crusts - let them come off on their own.
- It takes about two months for the scars to flatten. At first, they feel thickened but gradually soften and flatten out. Any irregularities from gathering of the skin gradually smooth out. Small puckers at the wound ends, called dog ears, form when excess skin is removed because there is a small area of heaped up skin at the end of the incision. Dog ears may be avoided by making the scar longer, but who wants a longer scar? It is better to keep the scar shorter and accept this dimple that will gradually flatten. Persistent dog ears may be easily revised under local anesthetic at a later time.
- Blurring of eyesight is normal and is usually due to a temporary change in the shape of the cornea. Swelling and traction on the tissues or excessive use of the ointment also contribute to blurring. Use drops are during the day and ointment at night. Blurring takes care of itself as the swelling resolves.
- Itching and redness are normal but the development "sleep" in the eye may be a sign of infection. Topical antibiotics are prescribed if this occurs.
