Recovery and Aftercare Following Eyelid Surgery

If you have recently undergone eyelid surgery on either your upper or lower eyelids (or indeed both), or conversely you have your blepharoplasty procedure booked and are planning on how to care for your eyes after surgery, then it is important to be as prepared and as informed as possible. 

With this in mind, continue reading to learn all about the recovery and aftercare following eyelid surgery and how best to ensure your eyes and eyelids fully recover as soon as possible. 

Immediately After Your Surgery

Eyelid surgeries, referred to by medical professionals as a blepharoplasty procedure, are one of the most popular and common cosmetic procedures carried out across the length and breadth of the country, and beyond. Providing you visit a prestigious and renowned Atlanta eyelid surgery clinic, you will be almost guaranteed to experience an easy and straightforward procedure with limited side effects and a short recovery time.

However, immediately after any cosmetic procedure, especially those on the face and neck, you can expect one or two natural and entirely normal temporary effects, which usually include one or more of the following:

• Sore and tight eyelids
• Itching and watering eyes
• Sensitivity to direct sunlight
• Blurry vision for the first few days only

Aftercare at Home

Obviously, your medical doctor and surgical nurse will provide you with a complete aftercare routine and most likely supply you with any medications you may need, including aftercare creams. Additionally, if you were asked to temporarily stop taking any medications, prescribed or otherwise, medical staff will let you know when you can restart them. 

In terms of aftercare at home, there are several steps you should take to ensure a safe and speedy recovery after your procedure:

• Avoid placing any pressure onto your eyes for at least a week
• Only start to drive your car again when your vision is 100% back to normal
• Avoid overly strenuous activities, including physical exercise for at least a fortnight
• Do not try to bend over and reach objects on the floor for at least a week
• Do not use your contact lenses for at least a fortnight
• Wear sunglasses if you spend prolonged periods of time in bright light for a year after eyelid surgery
• Be extremely careful not to get shampoo, hair spray, or moisturizer in your eyes for at least a week
• Sleep with your head and face raised under three or four pillows for the first few days
• Be sure to get enough sleep

Just in Case…

As eyelid surgery is such a common cosmetic procedure, it is entirely possible that you will experience little to no side effects. However, just for the sake of safety, it is important to be aware of any warning signs after your procedure that if you do experience, you should seek medical care immediately or at least contact your doctor. 

Such warning signs may include:

• High temperature or fever
• Increased swelling around the eye area
• Leaking pus and excess liquid from the incision
• Intense headaches or migraines