Step By Step Information on Eyelid Surgery.

To get started you will first need to make a consultation appointment with the cosmetic surgeon of your choice. During the consultation a vision and tear producing test may be performed. If you have contact lens or glasses you will need to bring them to your consultation as well. Determination on whether the eyelid surgery needs to be done on just the lower or upper lids or on all four lids will be discussed also.

To prepare yourself for this procedure you should follow all pre-operative instructions given to you by the surgeon. This will help make sure that all chances of problems or complications after surgery or during are diminished. Make sure you have a person who will be able to take you home after the procedure is done and possibly stay with you for a couple of days afterwards if you need help while recovering.

Eyelid surgery is done as an outpatient procedure and usually you will be given anesthesia which is local, meaning you will be awake throughout the procedure. The localized anesthetic is injected into and around the areas of the eyes being worked on and you will also be given intravenous or oral sedation as well. These medications will help you remain relaxed and calm and you will have no sensations of pain while the surgery is taking place. You may feel a kind of sensation of being tugged at around the eye area, this is normal during the procedure. If you are uncomfortable with the thought of being awake throughout the surgery talk with your surgeon and ask if he could put you under general anesthesia instead of local, that way you will have a nice peaceful sleep through the entire surgery. Most surgeons do not have a problem with this.

The duration of eyelid surgery ranges from 1-3 hours, this will depend on the extent and detail involved in the specific procedure being done. If four of the lids are being done the surgeon will start work on the upper ones first, and then move along to the lower lids.

Incisions will be made to follow eyelid lines naturally, as in the creases of the lids and right below the lash lines. These incisions could go into the outside corner lines of the eyes as well. The surgeon will separate skin from muscle, fat excess and underlying tissue that is fatty, all through the incisions he has made. Skin that is sagging and muscle are sometimes trimmed up at this point also. The areas of incisions are then sutured using the tiniest of suture materials.

After your eyelid surgery your eyes will have lubrication from ointment applied to them, this will feel greasy to you. Bandages may be applied to the eyes too. You will feel soreness and tightness as the localized anesthetics start wearing off. Your surgeon will provide you with medication to keep your discomfort and pain under control. You will need to elevate your head when at home for many days following this procedure and keep using compresses of ice off and on throughout the first days. This will help you with the bruising and the swelling which will occur. Follow the directions your surgeon gave you for cleaning the eye areas everyday when at home, this is extremely important to keep infection from setting in. If you have been prescribed any eye drops afterwards then use those as directed also. Your sutures will be able to come out 2 days to 14 days after the surgery.

Complications associated with eyelid surgery include infection, vision that is doubled, blurriness of vision, itching, swelling, redness, bruising, pain, discomfort with sleeping or closing the eyes, asymmetry of the eyes slightly and white heads which may happen once your sutures have been removed in that area.

Eyelid Surgery Cost. Average Cost of Eyelid Surgery.