Eyelid Rejuvination
Your eyes are usually the first thing that people notice about your appearance. Loose skin over your eyes can make you look tired, sad or older than you really are. Fatty deposits cause the upper lids to sag, and often vision can become partially blocked. Typically this happens with age but heredity can also be a factor. Fortunately, through an eyelid rejuvenation procedure called blepharoplasty, our doctors can help restore you to a more youthful, alert and healthy look.
What is Blepharoplasty?
Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty refers to the surgical procedure wherein excess tissues of the eyelid are sculpted and removed to reduce dermatochalasis, thus improving visiual function and cosmetic appearance.
About the Procedure
Dr. Alul and Dr. Buehler perform blepharoplasties in the comfort of InFocus Eyecare. Most procedures are less than an hour. We utilize local anesthesia to the operative area which leads to a very safe, comfortable experience. Using local anesthetic and sometimes a mild sedative, the doctor will remove the excess skin, muscle and fatty tissue in your upper eyelid. The incisions are made along the natural folds in the skin so that with the passage of time they become almost imperceptible. A little bruising and swelling is common after the procedure and will abate; post-operative discomfort is relatively mild. Most patients experience a marked improvement in the appearance of their eyes after blepharoplasty. With certain people loose skin over the eyelids can actually start to affect functional vision. In those cases our doctors, with the help of a test called a visual field, can determine if the procedure may be deemed “medically necessary” and therefore covered by your insurance. Please ask us about this option during your visit.
Postoperative Healing
The postoperative healing experience is relatively straightforward:
In General:
A driver is required to travel home.
We ask patients to relax, stay home, and use cold compresses on the eyes for two days. Significant bruising frequently occurs. This can be expected to resolve within two weeks. Avoidance of strenuous activity is necessary for two weeks to avoid bleeding and wound disruption.
Specifically:
Pain Relief: Most patients do not experience postoperative pain beyond a modest headache in the first few postoperative hours. This is typically treatable with acetaminophen.
Cold Compresses:
Intermittent use of cold compresses is very important the day of surgery and the day after. We generally recommend cold compresses twenty minutes per hour while awake on the day of surgery and somewhat less frequently the next day.
The most practical and cost-effective cold compresses, those we find to work best are bags of frozen vegetables placed on a clean washcloth over the eyes.
Bruising and Swelling:
Both vary greatly between patients. Some people bruise and swell little while others develop very significant effects. Bruising may extend into the lower lids and occasionally spreads into the cheeks. It takes about two weeks for bruising and swelling to resolve. We ask all patients to plan social engagements around an expectation of significant bruising.
Caretaker:
It is not necessary to have a caretaker after surgery, but it is recommended for the remainder of the surgery day.
Wound Care:
Keep the incisions clean and utilize the antibiotic ointment as prescribed.
Activity:
We ask patients to take it easy the day of surgery and the next day. Thereafter most activities may be resumed. However, for two weeks after surgery we ask that patients avoid activities that increase the blood pressure in the head as this can lead to bleeding. Activities to avoid include bending over so the head is below the heart, heavy lifting and strenuous exercise.
Head Elevation:
Keeping your head elevated above your heart while sleeping for the first two nights significantly helps bruising and swelling. We recommend an extra pillow in bed.
Bathing:
We ask that the surgical wounds be kept dry for the first 24 hours after surgery.
Driving:
We ask people to avoid driving for 24 hours after surgery in order to allow sedating medications to completely leave your system. This necessitates a driver to return one home the day of surgery.
Suture Removal:
We usually remove the sutures between 7 and 10 days postoperatively.
Makeup/Skin Treatment Products: Makeup may be used on the eyelids after removal of the sutures.
Returning to Work:
Most people return to work a few days after the procedure. Whether one returns earlier than two weeks is dependent upon one’s comfort with being seen with healing eyes, and the degree to which strenuous physical activity is required.
If you wish to schedule an eyelid rejuvenation consultation please call us at 541-318-8388.
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