The Procedure:
Eyelid surgery or "blepharoplasty" is a procedure to remove fat-usually along with excess skin from the upper and lower eyelids. Eyelid surgery can correct drooping upper lids and puffy bags below your eyes....features that make you look older and more tired than you feel, and may even interfere with your vision. It may also be beneficial by adding an upper eyelid crease to Asian eyes. Blepharoplasty can be done alone, or in conjunction with other facial surgery procedures such as a facelift or brow lift.

Surgery usually takes one to three hours, depending on the extent of the procedure. In a typical procedure, the surgeon makes incisions following the natural lines of your eyelids; in the creases of your upper lids, and just below the lashes in the lower lids. The incisions may extend into the crow's feet or laugh lines at the outer corners of your eyes. Working through these incisions, the surgeon separates the skin from the underlying fatty tissue and muscle, removes excess fat, and often trims sagging skin and muscle. The incisions are then closed with very fine sutures.

After the Surgery:
You should be able to read or watch television after two or three days. However, you won't be able to wear contact lenses for about two weeks, and even then they may feel uncomfortable for a while.

Most people resume work in 10 days. By then, depending on your rate of healing and your doctor's instructions, you'll probably be able to wear makeup to hide the bruising that remains. You may be sensitive to sunlight, wind and other irritants for several weeks, so it's a good idea to wear sunglasses when you go out during the day.

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