Preparing for a blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) can be difficult, especially if you have a lot of concerns about your health. Any major surgery will likely make you anxious, so this stays within the expected. One thing our Orange County eye surgery specialist recommends is that you learn what you can do to ensure that recovery goes smoothly. So let’s see how to heal after eyelid surgery.
How to Heal After Eyelid Surgery
Knowing how to heal after eyelid surgery proves a must, whether or not you have scheduled a consultation with your doctor. You can prepare for laser eye surgery with these tips highlighted below. Contact your team of friendly experts if there are any concerns or questions before your own blepharoplasty procedure.
Eyelid Surgery Overview
Blepharoplasty is a procedure that our doctors may recommend to correct your drooping eyes. It is also called eyelid surgery and is a procedure that involves both the upper and lower eyelids to correct vision problems. This treatment will reduce the excess drooping skin around your eyes. It will allow you to see better and open up your eyes. You’ll also feel more confident when you see your eyes looking younger in the mirror.
The procedure is painless and quick. It does not require much recovery time. After your two-hour treatment, you can go home immediately. Local anesthesia will be administered to the area so you will not feel any pain throughout your time at the office. You can choose to be sedated more if you would like.
How to Prepare for a Blepharoplasty
You should give your eyes the most rest possible before undergoing surgery. Avoid wearing eye makeup and contact lenses a few days prior to your surgery, and don’t use any type of face wash that contains chemicals or scents.
Contact lenses have been shown to dry out your eyes by blocking oxygen from reaching your cornea. This can lead to inflammation, swelling, and increased infection risk, which may change the way we perform blepharoplasty and can also alter your results.
Your Recovery Timeline
Most patients need 10-14 days to fully recover and return to normal activities, such as work or exercise. It is best to ask your surgeon how long it will take you to recover before you solidify any plans on your own. You can also speed up your recovery by following your surgeon’s instructions and listening to your body when you feel stressed, making sure to avoid any strenuous activities for as long as possible.
Staying Healthy at Home
Certain healthy habits can help you recover faster and easier. Put down your computer and phone screens for a couple of days to give your eyes as much time as possible to rest, as they may feel strained by just staying open on a regular basis. Download your favorite audiobooks or Podcasts to take a break within the week following your treatment.
Returning to Work
Healing takes much longer than 2 weeks, but you should find yourself able return to work within that amount of time. Even though there may remain some swelling or bruising for 2-3 weeks, it should stay minimal and it won’t prevent you from completing everyday tasks. Every patient reacts differently, so your recovery timeline may look different than somebody else’s.
Your sensitivity may make you feel like your eyes are not working for a while, but this is a normal part of the process. The surgeon will suggest that you take at least a couple of weeks off so you can fully rest before returning to work. Clear several days off your calendar to give yourself plenty of extra time to rest.
Invest in Top-Notch Eyelid Surgery Today
At Advanced Eye Medical, we offer innovative surgical methods and treatments to fix any problems you may experience with drooping or misaligned lids. Eyelid surgery can occur in a number of different ways. Therefore, recovery requirements may look different for everyone. Learn more about your expectations for this procedure by getting in contact with your trusted eyelid surgeon in Orange County today.