Eyelid surgery: potential risks and complications
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
Eyelid surgery can really make a huge impact on your physical appearance and can help you vision as well by giving you back some of the peripheral vision that the excess skin was potentially blocking. The before and after photos really show amazing results but it is important, as with any surgery, to understand the potential risks and complications. Following the specific guidelines of your doctor is paramount to having the best outcome possible.
Let’s talk about the potential risks and complications of eyelid surgery that you may encounter:
Dry and/or Irritated Eyes- after your eyelid surgery, your eyes could feel more dry than normal. Likewise, the feeling could be more of an irritation than of dryness. This happens since the area underwent surgery causing changes to the skin around the eye. Following your 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 at night which can also cause irritation of the eye.
Itchy Eyes- Sensations such as itching and a “gathering together” or tightening feeling are a normal part of the healing process. Please be very careful not to forcefully rub or scratch your eyes after your surgery.
Bleeding and Infections- It is possible for the area where the surgery was performed to end up getting infected or have some small bleeding. This is again why it is so important to follow your doctor’s directions and make sure to ask any clarification questions prior to the surgery. It is also incredibly important to make sure you are only working with an oculoplastic surgeon- we will talk more on this further into the article.
Vision Problems- this is a temporary thing. Some people find they have blurry vision and some find it is more double vision. This generally will only last a few days after your surgery as the eyes are adjusting and healing.
Trouble Closing Your Eyes- this is most commonly noticed when you are trying to go to sleep. The eye patch given to wear at night can help to create that darkness enjoyed. With removal of skin in the area, your eyes need to adjust and heal. It is very rare for this to be a permanent problem.
Swelling in the Area- this also is a temporary thing that is fairly common due to the nature of the eyelid surgery. 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.
NOTE: Please refrain from using any creams or makeup on your face until after your stitches are removed.
After your surgery is complete and you have had some healing time, you will come back into the office for a follow up consultation to see how everything is healing. At this time, we are able to address any concerns you may have and typically are able to remove any stitches that were needed. This is preplanned to occur 7-14 days after your eyelid surgery in most cases.
Why Only an Oculoplastic Surgeon should do your Eyelid Surgery:
Making sure your surgeon specializes in eyelids is very important! Your eyes are very precious and should only be worked near by an experienced professional who’s trained to do so. Ask to see some before and after photos of cases they have done. They should have an album full of photos!
An Oculoplastic Surgeon has been trained specifically to work with and around your eyes. This area is especially sensitive and requires more specific knowledge than the rest of your face. The eyes are an intricate part of your body that require the attention to detail and understanding of their whole anatomy so to speak. This surgeon brings the knowledge of plastic surgery and the knowledge of ophthalmology (eyes 😉).
There are two big reasons you want to work with an oculoplastic surgeon, like Dr. Perich: #1: Maintaining adequate closure of the eyelids & #2: Symmetry.
Reason # 1: Maintaining adequate closure of the eyelids. Sometimes we see patients with disfigured eyelids or eyelids that are not closing properly after having eyelid surgery done by a surgeon who doesn’t specialize in eyelids. Overcorrection - aka taking too much skin - is a mistake that can result in disfigurement. These patients end up needing a skin graft to save the eye. Eyes and vision are at risk when you are having eyelid surgery so it is very important to have a specialist execute this procedure who also understands the eyes as a whole.
Reason # 2: Symmetry. Marking and measuring the amount of skin that is going to be removed gives the best symmetry. Our doctors always thoroughly evaluate our patient’s eyelids before surgery. Each eye is unique and needs individual attention. Maybe one side is more saggy than the other? In that case you may need a brow lift on one side or take more skin from one side to balance your facial symmetry.
Attention to detail is such a key factor that often gets overlooked. You never want to feel like you are on a factory line pumping out surgeries! Make sure you get the individual attention you deserve from a professional you can trust has your best interests in mind.