While surgeons generally consider the procedure to be safe, complications can occur. Blepharoplasty is usually an outpatient procedure and patients may notice some of the following in the hours and days after surgery: swelling and bruising, watery eyes, dry eyes, or light sensitivity.
Infection and bleeding. Dry, irritated eyes. Difficulty closing the eyes or other eyelid problems. Noticeable scarring.
Blepharoplasty won't stop your eyes from aging. But the results usually last a long time. Upper eyelid surgery can last anywhere from five to seven years to an entire lifetime, while lower eyelid surgery rarely needs to be done more than once.
You should be in good health and a non-smoker. The surgery is worth it for people who want to look younger and better rested in and around the eyes. The results are subtle but dramatic, and recovery is minor with little pain reported.
People who get eyelid surgery are usually in their mid-30s at least. This is because the aging process visibly affects the eyelids in most people by this time. However, if you are at least 18 years old and concerned about the appearance of your eyelids, this procedure may be right for you.
Specific risks of the surgery include abnormal positioning of the eyelids, bleeding behind the eye and permanent blindness.
It's almost like a skin excision, and the eyelid itself is not particularly painful. It may swell and bruise a lot, but it is not very painful. Many of my patients don't even take any narcotics after surgery. They only take acetaminophen or Tylenol.
You can expect treatment costs to fall within the following ranges: Cost of upper eyelid blepharoplasty – $2,500 – 4,500 (AUD) Cost of lower eyelid blepharoplasty – $2,500 – 4,500 (AUD) Cost of combined upper and lower eyelid blepharoplasty – Between $4,500 – 8,000 (AUD)
The typical blepharoplasty costs around $2,000 to $5,000, depending on how many eyelids you treat. If your eyelid surgery qualifies as a functional procedure, private insurance or Medicare may cover a portion or all of the costs.
Eyelid surgery is not recommended for people with hypothyroidism, Grave's disease, dry eye syndrome, high blood pressure, diabetes, glaucoma or retinal detachment. Your surgeon will evaluate any excess skin or fat around your eyelid area, the position of your eyebrows and the muscles around your eyelids.
Once the puffiness under the eyes is reduced, it often never returns. It is important to remember, however, that every patient is different. Should someone develop recurrent puffiness under the eyes after several years, a revision blepharoplasty can help to restore their original results.
Your eyelids will probably look puffy after surgery. The incisions will probably look red, too. The swelling and bruising involved with blepharoplasty recovery tend to resemble a black eye. That is all normal.
Your eyelid may be swollen and bruised for 1 to 3 weeks after surgery. The appearance of your eye may continue to get better for 1 to 3 months.
Retrobulbar hematoma may occur after blepharoplasty, surgery for orbital wall fracture, periorbital trauma, and periorbital anesthesia. According to a recent report, the incidence of retrobulbar hematoma is 0.055% and the resulting rate of permanent blindness is about 0.005% [1,2].
Local anesthesia numbs the eyelid and surrounding area, while keeping you sedated but awake during surgery. General anesthesia keeps you asleep throughout the entire procedure. If the upper eyelids are being treated, incisions will be made along the natural creases of the upper eyelids.
Some patients are ready for eyelid surgery in their 30s, while others won't need it for a few decades more. There is no upper age window for blepharoplasty.
Surgery for excessive eyelid skin is known as blepharoplasty. In some cases, upper eyelid surgery, or upper blepharoplasty can be classified a Medicare eligible procedure, meaning that Medicare will rebate a portion of your surgeons fees and anaesthetic fees.
Injectable Treatments
BOTOX Cosmetic® injections can significantly improve the contours of the upper eyelid and brow. Treatments should address both of these areas because they are interrelated, and neuromodulators that minimize wrinkles can produce a slight brow lift, too.
By removing excess fat and skin and restructuring the tissues around the eyes, blepharoplasty creates a natural, rejuvenated appearance, erasing five to ten years without changing the shape or overall character of your face.
You experience at least 30% or 12 degrees of obstruction of the visual field caused by the excess skin on your eyelids. You have photographs and documentation of visual problems as proof that can be submitted to Medicare. Medicare-approved physicians must state the surgery is medically necessary.
The Medicare rebate is $186.40 for upper lid surgery and $258.55 for lower lid surgery. These rebates are available for only functional surgeries that meet the above criteria.
A blepharoplasty can improve the appearance of the eyes, but it does not reposition the eyebrows. Alternatively, a brow lift surgery lifts the eyebrows and improves the appearance of the upper eyelids without removing any skin and fat from the eyelids.
Success was noted in 35% after the second surgery and 44% after the third. Surgical success in eyelid retraction surgery increases from a second to a third consecutive surgery, and residual asymmetry was roughly equally distributed between over- and undercorrection.
After the eyelid has been lifted, this may cause your eye not to close all the way while blinking, or even remain open while sleeping. This can lead to reflex oversecretion of tears. Fortunately, this is usually temporary and may resolve completely after several months.