Eyelid Surgery: Post-Op Assessment
Photo by Sammy Williams on Unsplash
You’ve had your eyelid surgery. Everything went great. Now what happens? Do you heal right away? Is there anything special you need to do afterwards? Can you drive yourself home the same day? There can be a lot of questions about what happens once you have had your eyelid surgery. Here, we aim to help you understand what you need to do and when you need to come back in for a post-op check up.
Immediately After Eyelid Surgery:
Do Not Drive! Make sure you have someone to give you a ride home. There can be bruising and swelling in your eye area, unsurprisingly, and this can impede your vision. You may feel like you are ok to see and drive, however you might not realize your peripheral vision is impeded making driving more dangerous as you may not see someone or something else on the road.
The effects of your anesthesia could last longer than you realize! Some people will feel groggy up to 24 hours after and the medication can last in your up to a week. It is important to make sure you drink plenty of liquids- preferably water, after your eyelid surgery to help the medicine work its way through your body and to help you heal as quickly as possible.
Immediately following your surgery, there will be a slight noticeable swelling which will increase on day two following your operation. 48 hours following your surgery is when this swelling will reach its peak. After 48 hours, swelling should start to decrease. Applying cool packs will help to decrease swelling. We will review this with you at one of your surgical appointments.
Bring sunglasses with you to wear afterwards. The bright Florida sunshine can make you squint any time you go out in it. After your eyelid surgery, it is important to protect your eyes and the surgery area itself. Wearing sunglasses can help you feel more comfortable when you do step outside. Not feeling the instant urge to squint hard and potentially agitate your eyes or the skin that has just been worked on is important. Oversized sunglasses can be more comfortable to reduce the amount of sun coming in as well. This will also offer the benefit of keeping any swelling or bruising out of sight to others.
Once home, special care will be needed for the 1-2 weeks, but mostly it’s time for rest:
Eye Ointment: You will receive an eye ointment to help your surgical site heal. Please make sure you apply it as directed; once in the morning, once in the afternoon and again at night. If it gets in your eye it will not cause harm, simply wipe any excess off in a gentle manner so as not to irritate the eye or your surgical site.
After your surgery, you will be instructed to apply cool packs to your eyes to help minimize any swelling in the area and because it will feel really good! This cool pack should be worn as directed to help reduce swelling in the first 48 hours following your operation, as this is when swelling is at its most pronounced. After the first 48 hours, you should start to notice a gradual but steady decrease in swelling. It is important to please refrain from using any creams or makeup on your face until after your stitches are removed.
Can I rub my eyes? Following your eyelid surgery, you will be given an eye patch to wear at night. Please use as directed by your care provider to prevent rubbing and injury to your surgical site while sleeping at night. Rubbing your eyes can be damaging to the area and its swiftness to heal. You need to avoid doing this at any time of the day to keep your healing on schedule.
In most cases, our patients will not need any bandages and will be able to open their eyes fully and completely following their surgeries. The only exception to this involves surgery for the removal of basal cell carcinoma, which is a type of skin cancer. You should be cautious of the area while showering and putting on clothes too. Exercise should be put on hold until 8 days following your surgery.
You can resume showering and washing your hair three days after your surgery. Don’t worry if you get soapy water in or around your surgical site, as it won’t do any harm. In the event you do get soap on your surgical site please blot it dry gently. Under no circumstances is it ok to rub your eyelids. Please do not rub your eyelids!
When can my stitches be removed after my eyelid surgery?
Some time has passed and things are healing. You are feeling good, have been using your eye ointment, avoiding rubbing your eyes, and have rested up. Now it’s time to come back into the office to see how things are healing for your post-op checkup.
We typically will remove your stitches within six to fourteen days following your surgery. This appointment will be scheduled prior to your surgery even being completed so there will be no guessing involved. There are a few different eyelid surgeries we can preform, therefore the time needing to pass before you come in for your post-op check up will vary. We ask that you refrain from applying creams or makeup to the skin during this time. Also, after your stitches are removed, we request that you do not apply any ointment or cream for three complete days.
Can I do anything to help make my surgical scar smaller?
We recommend that you gently massage the scar once a day for five minutes, using the pads of your finger tips, in a circular motion. This can be done starting ten days after your surgery. This massage should be done for six to eight weeks and followed up with the application of a scar cream which we can provide for you.
Final Thoughts:
It is always important to eat a well balanced, whole food diet, and drink plenty of water, but it is essential to do so during your eyelid surgery journey. Following your instructions from your doctor is vital to not only heal as quickly as possible, but also to ensure the best possible results. We know that you will love the results of all your efforts- and just think! It is only a short term special care for a long term great looking and feeling solution!