Pre-Procedure:

Preparing for Eyelid Surgery

• Avoid aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications), Vitamin E, herbal supplements or any medications containing these compounds for two weeks before surgery. Acetaminophen (Tylenol or generic equivalent) and daily multivitamin are fine.
• Refrain from smoking two weeks before and two weeks after surgery. Nicotine and tobacco smoke delay healing and can result in scarring. This is the perfect time to give up the habit.
• Avoid sun damage two weeks before surgery. While we recommend wearing a SPF 30 or higher, our physicians and staff wear a SPF 50 every day.
• Your prescriptions for after surgery (typically an antibiotic and pain med) will be given to you the day of surgery.
• Purchase the following non-prescription items:
• Sinecch – herbal supplement which helps reduce swelling and bruising. This is only available through our office and is optional.
• Do not eat or drink anything, including water, after midnight the night before your surgery.
• Arrange for someone to take you home from the hospital. You will not be allowed to drive or leave alone. Arrange for someone to stay with you for the first 24 hours after surgery
• Make arrangements to stay in the Kansas City area on the night of your surgery if you live more than an hour’s drive away.

On the day before Surgery

• You may be given an approximate arrival time for your surgery at your clinic visit. On the day before surgery you will receive a phone call informing you of the exact time to report to the surgery center.
• If your surgery is scheduled at The Mayfair Medical, you can expect a phone call from the Pre-op nurse several days in advance of surgery. If you have not received a call by noon on the day before surgery, you may reach him/her by calling 0800 840 0011
• If your surgery is scheduled at The Mayfair Medical, you will receive a call from the Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery Coordinator on the day before surgery. If you have not received a call by noon on the day before surgery, please call her at 0800 840 0011

Day of the Procedure:

Blepharoplasty surgery is most commonly performed under local anaesthetic.Before opting for this procedure, it is important that you make your consultant aware of any medications you are currently taking, particularly blood thinners.Surgery on the upper eyelids is carried out by a professional eye surgeon who will make an incision across the crease line of the eyelid, where a natural fold of skin is present.

Excess fat and / or muscle along with excess skin is then removed. Intricate stitching of the incision then takes place to close the cut. Scars from healing are hidden in the natural eyelid crease or fold. If you are having surgery on the lower eyelids, whilst not very dissimilar to the upper eyelid procedure, there are some differences. An incision is made in one of two ways – either just inside of the eyelid, or below the lower eye lashes.

Excess fat is then removed from under the eye – also known as eye bags. Unlike upper eyelid surgery, lower eyelid surgery does not always involve removing excess skin as it is the fat within the eye-bag that causes the issue.In addition, sometimes the muscles and tendons of the eyelid will require some support following removal of excess fat.

Suture strips are used to give support to your eyelid post-surgery. Suture strips, or steri-Strips or a wound closure strip are designed to pull the skin on each side of the eyelid incision to minimise scarring. Surgery for eyelids generally takes around one to two hours. Patients are usually not required to stay in hospital overnight and can return home the same day as the procedure.

Post Procedure & Recovery:

Following eyelid surgery, whether on the upper or lower eyelids will require time off work. Your consultant will be able to advise how much time you need based on your individual circumstances. However, most patients take around 1 week off work to aid recovery. Depending on your job, or how comfortable you feel, you may decide to have more than one week off.

The biggest implication of eyelid surgery is not being able to drive for approximately 3-5 days following your operation. This means that you should be able to return to fairly normal business after this period. However, it is strongly advised to avoid any activity that may be strenuous, such as heavy lifting, gym or swimming. In addition, you should avoid smoking and do not wear contact lenses during immediate recovery.

Patients should expect to experience redness and bruising around the eyes for 2-3 weeks post surgery. Scars may be more noticeable in the early days of recovery but will fade as time passes. If possible, you will be advised not to rub your eyes or to keep any rubbing to a minimum.

Aftercare

When you arrange a consultation with one of our experts, you will be given a full recovery and aftercare plan that is tailored to your individual needs and circumstances. Aftercare varies from patient to patient depending on the surgery you are having, your age and face shape. However, there are general aftercare procedures that you will be advised to following, such as:

– Gentle cleaning of your eyelids on a regular basis. This is done with eye drops or ointment that will be supplied to you.
– Wearing sunglasses to protect and shield your eyes from wind, dust and sun.
– Taking prescribed painkillers, such as paracetamol, to ease any pain you feel. Although many patients report little to mild pain post eyelid surgery.
– Holding a cold pack on your eyes.
– Propping your head up when resting will reduce swelling.