Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Surgery)

Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) is an effective way to reverse many of the tell-tale signs of ageing. This surgical procedure can be tailored to the specific needs of each patient, focusing on their precise concerns and desired results. Whether you are concerned with drooping upper lids or lower lids that look puffy and tired, blepharoplasty can address those issues.

Dr Teston offers a variety of blepharoplasty techniques to help her patients reverse ageing symptoms around the eyes. She will work one-on-one with you to determine the best procedure for your needs, to ensure you enjoy the best possible outcome from your procedure.

Before Blepharoplasty

The best candidates for blepharoplasty are men and women in relatively good health that have one or more of the following concerns:

• Drooping upper eyelids, perhaps even interfering with the line of vision
• Skin covering the upper eyelid that makes it difficult to apply makeup
• Puffiness in the upper lid due to accumulations of tissue
• Sagging in lower lid, possibly revealing white of eye under the iris
• Puffiness or lines underneath the eye that make you look older and more tired than you feel

All of these concerns can be addressed surgically, offering results that will likely last for many years. Patients achieve the best results when they head into surgery with a positive attitude and realistic expectations of what blepharoplasty can do for them. If you smoke, you will be asked to stop smoking a number of weeks before and after your surgery to ensure the nicotine does not interfere with your safety during the procedure or your healing process afterward.

Blepharoplasty can be performed alone or in conjunction with other procedures to further your outcome. Procedures commonly performed with blepharoplasty include a meloplasty (facelift) and browplasty (brow lift). Non-surgical procedures may also be added after blepharoplasty to improve skin texture and tone, such as laser skin resurfacing or injectable treatments.

Options in Blepharoplasty

Blepharoplasty can be performed three different ways:

• Upper eyelid surgery to remove puffiness and drooping above the eye, improve line of vision and allow for easier makeup application
• Lower eyelid surgery to firm up the lower lid, remove bags and puffiness and smooth away fine lines and crepey skin
• Surgery on both the upper and lower eyelids at the same time to address all of these concerns with just one time under anaesthesia and one recovery period

It is quite common for Dr Teston to perform upper and lower eyelid surgery simultaneously. This procedure is considered effective and cuts down on the amount of time you must be under anaesthesia overall. Recovery from both upper and lower eyelid surgery is not much different than when a patient just has one lid operated on at a time.

During the Procedure

Blepharoplasty is usually performed in an accredited hospital using local anaesthesia with sedation or general anaesthesia. Incisions for upper eyelid surgery will be made in the natural creases of the lid to minimise visible scarring. Incisions for lower eyelid procedures are either placed inside the lid or just under the eyelash line where visible scarring will not be noticeable.

Through these incisions, Dr Teston removes excess skin and tissue to create a smoother, firmer eyelid contour. Incisions will be closed using sutures that will be removed a few days after your surgery.

What to Expect Afterward

You can expect to have some bruising and swelling after blepharoplasty. We will provide you with instructions on how to minimise those side effects using ice and cold packs once you arrive home. Sleeping with your head elevated will also reduce swelling and discomfort. You will be given a prescription for oral pain medication to keep you comfortable the first days after your surgery. Most of our patients are pleasantly surprised at how they heal after this procedure, with the majority returning to their regular activities within two weeks.

The results of blepharoplasty will become evident once the eyes fully heal from the procedure. Those results should be very long-lasting for most patients. However, signs of ageing can begin to creep in once again over time, which may necessitate additional procedures to maintain those results. The good news is you may find non-surgical treatments are sufficient for keeping your look once the surgery is performed. Very few patients require a subsequent blepharoplasty after the first one is performed.

Potential Risks and Complications 

All surgery carries some degree of risk. Some of the possible complications of blepharoplasty include:

• Risks of anaesthesia, including allergic reaction, which rarely may be fatal
• Surgical risks such as bleeding or infection
• Blood clots that may cause potentially fatal cardiovascular complications such as heart attack, deep vein thrombosis or stroke
• Temporary or permanent areas of numbness
• Temporarily blurred or impaired vision
• Dry or watery eyes
• Difficulty closing your eyes – for example, the upper eyelid may remain open while you are asleep, which can dry out the eye surface and cause scarring
• Lid lag – a pulling down of the lower eyelid (this is often temporary)
• Ectropion – a slack and outward-rolling lower eyelid
• Eyelid disorders that involve abnormal positioning of the upper eyelids (eyelid ptosis) or loose eyelid skin – these disorders can coexist with sagging forehead and eyebrow structures
• Development of lumps inside the lower eyelid, which can irritate the eye surface
• Sunken or unnatural-looking eyes, if too much fat is removed
• Inflamed, itchy scars
• Bleeding behind the eye
• Vision loss, including complete blindness
• Further surgery to treat complications.

This is not a complete list. For example, your medical history or lifestyle may put you at increased risk of other complications. You need to speak to your medical practitioner for more information.

Dr Teston has ample experience performing eyelid procedures and can help you to achieve a natural, more youthful look with this customisable procedure. To learn more about blepharoplasty or find out if you are a candidate, contact Dr Teston’s office today on (02) 9708 3511.

*The information about Blepharoplasty was reviewed by Dr Leana Teston. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us using our contact form below.