Eyelid Surgery Process

Consultation

When visiting our Houston office for eyelid surgery consultation, you will meet with Dr. Funk to discuss your concerns regarding your eyelids. Whether you are considering upper eyelid surgery, lower eyelid surgery for bags, or both, Dr. Funk will concentrate on the areas you want to focus on improving. If you are amenable, he will give recommendations regarding other areas around the eyes that may need improvement. These may include a brow lift, lower eyelid laser treatment, or Botox for your crow’s feet. Dr. Funk will also discuss any medical issues you may have with your eyes such as dry eye, a history of LASIK surgery, or contact use.

Dr. Funk will then examine your eyelids and assess the best treatment option for them. Photographs will be taken and you and Dr. Funk will sit in his office reviewing these photographs and making digital changes to provide an approximation of what blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery may look like for you. You and Dr. Funk will review before and after photos of blepharoplasty patients who have had upper eyelid surgery or lower eyelid surgery with Dr. Funk. Once all your questions are answered, you will meet with our patient care coordinator to review the quote for eyelid surgery.

Preoperative Appointment

Your preoperative appointment will usually occur the day prior to surgery. On this day, you will meet with Dr. Funk once more to re-discuss your goals for the surgery, review risks of blepharoplasty, and discuss some of the healing process. The majority of the time will be spent with the patient care coordinator who will discuss preoperative and postoperative care. They will review what you can expect after surgery, things that may cause concern, and what should appear as normal healing versus abnormal. Your final payment will also be collected at this time.

Day of Surgery/Procedure

On the day of your eyelid surgery, you will check-in at the facility and then move on to the preop area. There you will change into a surgical gown and have an IV started. Consent forms will be signed and you will meet the surgical team. You will then move on to the operating room. Your blepharoplasty procedure will be performed in Houston usually at a surgery center. Eyelid surgery usually requires light sedation but can also be done under general anesthesia. You will be taken to the recovery room after surgery.

Recovery

Recovery after blepharoplasty depends on the extent of work that is required and which procedure is performed. Upper eyelid surgery for eyelid hooding is a short recovery time of 5-7 days. An upper eyelid lift can be performed under local anesthesia or sedation. Mild swelling occurs around day 2 postoperatively but vision should not be impaired. Sutures are removed day 5-7 postoperatively and makeup can be placed within a few days. Most patients are social within one week after upper eyelid surgery.

Lower eyelid surgery can be more complex with the removal of lower eyelid bags and excision of excess skin. Sometimes the lower eyelid fat, which forms the lower eyelid bags, is repositioned to fill the tear trough or hollows under the eyes. This creates a better transition between the eyelid and cheek. Lower eyelid surgery recovery is typically 7-10 days. The lower eyelids tend to swell a little more than the upper eyelids. Fat repositioning will also require more dissection which may lead to slightly longer recovery time compared to the upper eyelid. Neither upper eyelid lift or lower eyelid surgery is painful. Patients mostly describe itchy or slightly irritated eyes but no pain.