Instructions for Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery)

Please review our Preparing for Surgery and Medications to Avoid pages.

-     In addition to filling the prescriptions given to you by Dr. Afifi, please get Natural Tears/Celluvis/alternative saline eye drops (these are all over the counter) to keep your eyes cool and moist in case of postoperative dryness.

-     Please also get lacrilube or alternative ophthalmic lubricating ointment (over the counter) to apply around the eyes and over the eyelid incisions 2 x a day or at bedtime at a minimum.  Some patients have dryness after surgery as result of swelling or temporary inability to close eyes, especially at night.  This can cause some dryness until the swelling resolves and muscles of eyelid closure “wake up”.  Moisturizing eye ointment significantly helps during this transition.

-     Elevate your head at least 30 degrees for a minimum of 3 weeks after surgery in order to allow the fastest resolution of swelling.  If you sleep flat accidentally in the initial period after surgery, you may notice more swelling when you wake up which should go down slowly as your head remains elevated.

-     In the initial 48 hours (most critical) after surgery, please ICE, ICE, and ICE your eyelids with either frozen material such as peas wrapped in a thin gauze or alternatively, you can soak gauze in ice water and alternate gauzes so that your eyelids are kept cool – this decreases swelling and most often, patients of Dr. Afifi don’t bruise simply by following this protocol.

-     Do NOT remove the Steri-Strips on the incisions and do not touch the sutures.