After an Eye Lift

Eye lift recovery: How long does it take to recover?

Initial recovery happens in the first two weeks following eye lift surgery.

During this time, the swelling and bruising subside and the eye lift patient can begin to see the new results. Your eyelids will be puffy and numb for several days. Also, the places where your eye lift surgeon made incisions will be very red and visible at first. Pain is mild and applying an ice pack to your eyes can reduce swelling. Acetaminophen can relieve pain, but an eye lift patient must avoid aspirin or any related drugs and supplements that increase bleeding.

After eye lift surgery, you may be very sensitive to light and run into excessive tearing. Double vision is also common. These conditions only arise immediately after eye lift surgery, but because of them, you will need a driver who will take you home after your eye lift procedure.

Over the next six months, scarring from eye lift incisions will fade and final results will settle. If eye lift incisions were made on the external surface of the eyelid, the scars will still be well-hidden along the natural contours of the eye. Scar visibility will vary with skin tone, but is easily covered with a little makeup.

An eye lift patient may require a week to ten days to recover enough to go back to work. Full healing will occur over six months. An eye lift patient will need rest for themselves and their eyes immediately after surgery. After two to three days, an eye lift patient can begin to read and watch TV again.

If your eyelift surgeon uses real stitches over a synthetic or liquid form of sealant, you will return to the office in about three or four days to have them removed.

Blepharoplasty patients may experience some depression initially due to the swelling and bruising left on their faces after an eye lift. A good eye lift surgeon will prepare you for the results immediately following surgery and will give you expectations for the emotions that may follow surgery as well. You can use our website to search for good eye lift surgeons in your area.

What are recommendations to speed recovery after an eye lift?

The eye lift patient should avoid strain in the first days after surgery. Any activities that raise your blood pressure are off limits.

This includes sport, exercise or any lifting. A person recovering from eye lift surgery must also avoid bending at the waist for the first five days as this also increases the blood pressure in the head.

You will be given lubricating ointment to keep your eyes from drying after your eye lift surgery. Sometimes the eyes are covered loosely with gauze and you can apply ice packs or other cold compresses to sooth the eye lift incisions as they heal. Your eye lift surgeon will give you instructions for specific medications to take and best times to apply surface medications and ointment. You will also be given signs to look for to make sure healing is proceeding without any problems.

Your eye lift surgeon will give you a list of precautions, but these generally include:

• Avoid weightlifting.
• Avoid strenuous sports, like jogging aerobics classes.
• Don't go swimming.
• Don't lift anything more than 20 pounds.
• Avoid all but the mildest of yoga. Talk to your eye lift doctor before resuming any physical activity. She can let you know what forms will be acceptable during recovery.
• Talk to your doctor about resuming Bikram yoga as the intensity is too much for the initial two-week recovery period.
• Clean your eyes and add eye drops exactly as instructed by your eye lift surgeon.
• Be clear with your eye lift surgeon up front about your allergies to food or drugs.
• Sleep with you head elevated above your chest.
• Tell your eye lift doctor about any thyroid or kidney conditions you may have.
• Tell your eye lift doctor about any circulatory conditions or elevated blood pressure you may have.
• Talk to your doctor about smoking if you are a smoker. Smoking can complicate surgery and impair the healing process.
• Follow all diet guidelines your eye lift doctor gives you.
• Don't take any drugs containing aspirin as these can thin the blood and impair healing at the incision site.
• Give your eye lift surgeon a complete list of supplements you take. Some can act as blood thinners and impair the healing at your eye lift incision sites.
• Wear darkly-tinted sunglasses and practice diligence in applying sun protection until your healing is complete.
• Carefully follow all of your eye lift surgeon's instructions.

How long will it take to see results after an eye lift?

As an eye lift patient, you will see a drop in initial bruising and swelling from surgery in the first two weeks following surgery. Your eye lift surgeon will give you personal expectations based on the specific procedures you choose to have done. After one week to ten days, the eye lift patient may return to work.

Final results will appear within a few weeks of your surgery, but incision lines may take up to a year to fully refine. Scars from eye lift surgery will diminish to their lowest point within six months. These are usually concealed along the natural contours of the eye or hidden on the inside surface of the eyelid if your eye lift surgeon chooses to do transconjunctival blepharoplasty. Visibility of scars will vary with skin tone and can be easily covered with makeup.

What results can be achieved with an eye lift?

The results of eye lift surgery vary based on patient, the procedures being done and the skill of the eye lift surgeon.

With that said, eye lift surgery can provide the following benefits:

• Remove fatty deposits that cause the eyelids to sag and look older.
• Remove extra skin that hangs low or obscures vision.
• Improve the appearance of under eye bags.
• Strengthen and support the muscles and ligaments that allow the eyelids to droop and sag with age.

An individual consultation will provide you with more information about what an eye lift can do for you personally. Some conditions will be corrected permanently by eye lift surgery. However, you will still continue to age naturally. Rigorous attention to protecting yourself from the sun will help maintain results you gain from an eye lift. Use our eye lift surgeon locator to find a doctor in your area.

Questions about what to expect after an eye lift:

• How long will I have to stay in recovery after my an eye lift?
• How will I feel after an eye lift?
• How much pain is there after an eye lift?
• How long can I expect to fully recover from my an eye lift?

Questions to ask about your return home after an eye lift:

• Am I required to have someone drive me home after an eye lift?
• What kind of care will I need at home?
• Should I have someone help me after my an eye lift? And if so, for how long?
• Are there any activity limitations after my an eye lift and for how long?
• What kind of diet should I keep after my an eye lift?
• What symptoms should I watch out for and report after my an eye lift?
• When should I contact my gastric bypass surgeon?
• What medications do I need to take after my an eye lift?
• Is there anything that I should refrain from after my an eye lift (for example, heat or sun)?
• Do I need bed rest after my an eye lift and for how long?
• How long before I can go back to work after my an eye lift?
• Do I need to wear bandages or special garments? And if so, for how long after my an eye lift?
• How soon can I resume my normal activities after my an eye lift?