Considering eyelid surgery? In this Q&A video, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon Mr Andre Litwin explains what an Oculoplastic Surgeon does, what to expect from blepharoplasty, recovery milestones, and why expert care matters. Learn how to prepare, what happens in surgery, and how to get the best possible results.
Q1. Why should I choose an Oculoplastic Surgeon for a blepharoplasty?
An oculoplastic surgeon has often undergone almost 10 years of training before they can be a consultant. This means we have a great depth of understanding of eyes and eyelids, the anatomy and years of practice of the delicate microsurgery. This will give your blepharoplasty the best chance of being both aesthetically pleasing and functionally sound.
Q2. What happens during a blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery)?
Most of the upper eye blepharoplasties I perform nowadays I complete in outpatients, so, this keeps timings convenient. On the day, we just have you gently propped back at 45 degrees, your eyes are closed, so you don't see any details - don't worry, no one wants to see any details. And then there's a small injection of anaesthetic just in that loose eyelid skin. Once that bit's over your eyes are nice and numb and it normally takes about 45 minutes to complete the treatment, at the end of which there will be some Steri Strips along each top eyelid, which covers the little stitch and cut line, and then home after a cup of tea and a sandwich.
Most people about 30 minutes after the procedure's completed are good to go home. There's no pain afterwards, your eyes will feel funny, but even the next day they feel a lot more normal, let alone two to three days later. We normally see you about a week after the surgery to check that you're healing okay and remove any stitches, and most people can largely get back to normal about 10 days after their surgery is completed.
Q3. What makes a successful blepharoplasty?
A successful blepharoplasty is one which restores your natural confidence without necessarily screaming I've had a procedure done. We want it to be a smooth process from the booking, the procedure itself, and the recovery. All of that starts with choosing the right surgeon and discussing aims and expectations beforehand during the consultation. We'll review some before and after photographs to help guide you with this.
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