Blepharoplasty Pre & Post Care

Downloadable Instructions

Items Needed:

  • Lab Work
  • Eye Exam Clearance
  • Prescription Medications
  • Gen Teal Gel
  • Gen Teal drops
  • Bag of frozen peas
  • Small zip-lock snack baggies
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Q-tips
  • Sunscreen

Before the Procedure

  1. Be sure to have all your medications and supplies purchased prior to surgery. These include an antibiotic (Keflex or Cleocin), pain medication (Norco), anti-nausea suppositories (Phenergan), GenTeal Gel and Gen Teal Drops, hydrogen peroxide, and Q-tips. Start your antibiotic and the SinEcch provided to you the evening prior to surgery.
  2. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the evening before your surgery. This includes water, chewing gum, mints, and candy.
  3. Please wear clothing to surgery that does NOT go over your head. A button-down or zippered shirt will make it easier to get dressed following surgery.
  4. Shampoo your hair the evening prior to and the morning of surgery with shampoo and conditioner only. DO NOT USE ANY OTHER HAIR PRODUCTS.
  5. Clean your face the morning before surgery. Do not apply moisturizers or make-up.
  6. If you are a smoker stop smoking 6 weeks prior to surgery and 6 weeks after surgery to enhance wound healing and decrease the risk of complications.
  7. Stop the use of all aspirin products (see “Aspirin List”), Vitamin E, Fish oil, Herbal Supplements, and Multi-vitamins two weeks prior to surgery and two weeks after.
  8. Bring your pain and nausea medication with you to surgery.
  9. If indicated, please make sure our office has a copy of a recent eye exam.
  10. You must have a responsible adult, friend, or relative 21 years or older, drive you home following the surgery and remain with you for the first 24 hours postoperatively. You will not be discharged from the Surgery Center to ride in a taxi following your surgery.
  11. Arrange for a driver to transport you to Alabama Surgical Arts for your first week’s post-operative visit. Operating a motor vehicle while using narcotics is not advised and is illegal. Vision may be blurred due to post-operative swelling.

Post-Operative Care

  1. Restart your antibiotic medication and SinEcch the night of your surgery. Take medications with a light meal to avoid nausea. Take both products according to direction until fully used.
  2. Do not sleep with a fan as this may cause dry eyes.
  3. To minimize swelling, oozing, and bruising:
    1. Try to suppress any forceful coughing or sneezing for at least 7-10 days after surgery.
    2. Keep an ice pack over your eyes for the first 12-24 hours after surgery. (Frozen peas in a zip-lock bag work very well) Use Kleenex or thin gauze beneath the ice pack to keep it from becoming too cold.
    3. For the first week keep your head elevated (reclining chair or 2-3 pillows) while resting and sleeping.
    4. Do not lift anything greater than 10 pounds after surgery and avoid bending forward. Avoid strenuous and aerobic activity for four weeks after surgery.
    5. If bruising does occur, it should resolve in 2-3 weeks.
    6. If you do develop severe pain and swelling in one or both eyes and/or decreased vision NOTIFY YOUR PHYSICIAN IMMEDIATELY –as this constitutes an emergency that could result in blindness. This is extremely rare. The usual cause is abrupt bleeding behind the eye, within the first twelve hours after surgery.
      A low-grade fever for the first post-operative days is not abnormal. Take two Tylenol tablets for temperature elevations below 101.5°. If you have a persistent fever over 101.5° call Alabama Surgical Arts.
      Please contact our office immediately if sudden profuse bleeding occurs. Remain calm as excitement and panic raises your blood pressure and worsen bleeding.
  4. Avoid the sun, which may darken maturing scars. Protect incisions by using sunscreen with an SPF of 45 or higher.
  5. Do not drive if you are taking pain medication.
  6. You may shower and wash your hair after your first postoperative appointment.
  7. Do not use eye makeup for at least 2 weeks following your surgery. Your surgeon will inform you when it is OK to use eye makeup.
  8. Do not stretch, pull, or tug on your eyelids for four weeks.
  9. Contact our office to make an appointment for your first check-up, usually 4-6 days after surgery.
  10. Apply a small amount of ointment (GenTeal Gel. This is not a prescription and can be purchased at Wal-Mart, etc.) to both eyes each night at bedtime for the first several nights after surgery. You may use it more often if your eyes feel dry. Also, use the GenTeal drops for dry eyes. DO NOT use the type of eye drops that get rid of redness.
  11. You may wear eyeglasses at any time after surgery. Do not wear contact lenses for at least 3 weeks. Your physician will notify you when this is appropriate.

What To Expect After Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Surgery)

Discomfort: This should be minimal and easily controlled with the pain medication prescribed to you.

Swelling/Bruising: There will be mild to moderate swelling and/or bruising of the eyelids and tissues around the eyes and perhaps in the cheeks. This will vary with each patient because of the body’s individual response to surgery. Most of the swelling and bruising will subside within a week to two weeks. There will be mild residual swelling for months after surgery. This will be most apparent upon arising in the morning and may be more noticeable on one side than the other. This is normal! Decreasing salt intake and sleeping with your head elevated will help keep this to a minimum.

Oozing: A small amount of blood-tinged fluid oozing from the incisions is to be expected for the first 24-48 hours. Take care not to blot too hard or displace the steri-strip dressing.

Incisions/healing: At first the incisions will appear reddened and feel firmer than the surrounding eyelid skin. It takes up to one year for the incisions to mature (lighten and soften). Avoid exposure to the sun for three months following surgery.

Numbness: There will be numbness of the skin of the eyelids for the first several months after surgery. Gradually, the sensory nerves will regenerate, the swelling will subside, and the numbness will diminish.

Results: Remember that our goal is improvement and a more rested appearance, rather than perfection. Further treatment such as a chemical peel or further fat or skin removal may occasionally be necessary to obtain the optimum result.

Incomplete closure of eyelids: You may notice burning of the eyes when shampooing, dry eyes upon awakening, or occasional blurriness while reading. This is due to swelling and early wound healing and will normally subside with time, usually in a month or more.

Care of Incisions

  1. Leave the steri-strip tape on your eyelids until your post-operative visit. If there is not a steri-strip in place, clean the incision gently using a Q-tip and peroxide twice daily.
  2. Your sutures will dissolve on their own. On occasion, non-dissolvable sutures are used, which will be removed in the office.

Post-operative Appointments

  • The first post-operative appointment will be 4-6 days after surgery. This appointment will be given to you on the day of your surgery.