PostOp Eyes

Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Surgery) Recovery: What to Expect

Illustration for blepharoplasty recovery

General information about typical recovery, not medical advice. Every eye and every surgery is different, and your surgeon's instructions override anything on this page. Read our full disclaimer.

Blepharoplasty is surgery on the eyelids to remove or reshape extra skin, muscle, and fat. The American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery describes it as surgery to remove excess skin on the upper or lower eyelid area, done for appearance and, when heavy upper lid skin blocks the top of your vision, for function. Upper and lower eyelid surgery are related but not the same operation, and that difference changes what your recovery looks like. Upper eyelid surgery is usually done through an incision hidden in the natural crease of the lid, so the stitch line sits in a fold you already have. Lower eyelid surgery is often done from the inside of the lid, called a transconjunctival approach, where fat is removed or repositioned with no skin incision at all, or through a skin incision placed about 1 millimeter below the lash line when extra skin also needs to be addressed. Because the lower lid work sits closer to loose tissue and to gravity, lower lids and the cheeks below them tend to bruise and puff more and for longer, while upper lids more often show a tight, heavy feeling and short term numbness along the lashes. Many people have both done at the same visit.

Nearly all eyelid surgery is done as an outpatient procedure, and local anesthesia is used to numb the eye and the area around it, per the American Academy of Ophthalmology. You go home the same day. Expect to look worse before you look better. Bruising and swelling after upper eyelid blepharoplasty typically last 10 to 14 days per AAO, and StatPearls notes that all patients will have some degree of bruising and swelling, which may last up to 2 weeks.

This page is here to set expectations, not to diagnose anything. Recovery varies a lot with the approach used, whether one lid or all four were operated on, your age, your skin, whether you take blood thinners, and what else was done at the same time such as a brow lift or laser resurfacing. Your surgeon's instructions override everything here. If you are unsure whether something you are seeing is normal, call the office that did your surgery. They would rather hear from you early.

The typical timeline

Typical full recovery: Most swelling gone in 2 to 3 weeks, final result over several months. Ranges below are what published guidance describes for most people; your surgeon may set different limits for your eye.

StageWhat to expectRestrictions
Surgery day and first nightDay 0Eyelid surgery is almost always outpatient with local anesthesia numbing the eye and the area around it, so you go home the same day. Lubricating ointment and cold compresses may be applied, and the eyes may be loosely covered with gauze, per the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Vision often looks smeary because of the ointment. Expect tightness and a mild ache rather than sharp pain. Discomfort is generally mild and is usually handled with non-aspirin pain relievers, per ASOPRS.StatPearls guidance is to ice the eyelids on and off for the first 24 hours and to sleep with the head up for two nights. ASOPRS also advises keeping the head elevated and applying cold compresses to reduce swelling and bruising. Do not drive yourself home. Avoid aspirin, ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and other blood thinners around surgery unless your surgeon has told you otherwise, since these may increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.
Peak swelling and bruisingDays 1 to 3This is usually when you look the most beaten up. Bruising darkens and often spreads downward, and the lids can be puffy enough that opening them fully takes effort. Some early trouble closing the eye completely is nearly universal right after upper lid surgery and typically settles within days as swelling drops, per StatPearls. Blurry vision from antibiotic ointment is expected. For lower lid surgery done from the inside, StatPearls notes that lower lid puffiness is normally worse in the first hour or so after waking, when you are tired, and after salty meals, so early swelling swings are part of the picture.Keep icing. StatPearls guidance for transconjunctival lower lid surgery is to ice on and off for the first 24 to 48 hours and to sleep on 2 to 3 pillows for the first 2 to 3 nights. EyeWiki advises using ice compresses frequently for the first 3 days after surgery, with warm compresses afterward, ophthalmic antibiotic ointment to the incisions 3 to 4 times a day, and artificial tears as needed. StatPearls notes patients may shower and wet the sutures the next day. No lifting, bending, straining, or exercise.
Turning the corner and suture removalDays 4 to 7Swelling usually starts coming down and bruises start changing color as they break down. Most of the raw, tight feeling eases. Nonabsorbable sutures are removed 7 to 14 days after surgery per AAO, and some surgeons take them out toward the earlier end of that window, so your first stitch visit often falls in this stretch or just after. EyeWiki describes a postoperative check within 1 to 2 weeks of surgery. Ointment can still blur vision, and the eyes may feel dry or watery.EyeWiki advises avoiding lifting, bending, straining, and exercise during the first 10 days after surgery. Keep using antibiotic ointment on the incisions as directed and artificial tears for dryness. Do not wear eye makeup until your ophthalmologist tells you it is safe. Keep the incisions out of pools, hot tubs, and lakes.
Presentable againWeek 2, days 8 to 14Bruising and swelling after upper eyelid blepharoplasty typically last 10 to 14 days per AAO, and StatPearls says bruising and swelling may last up to 2 weeks, so most people are close to public-facing by the end of this window. An AAO ophthalmologist answering a patient with swelling one week after blepharoplasty wrote that it is likely the swelling will settle down over the next week or two, with cool compresses, tear drops, and follow up with the surgeon. Residual puffiness, mild asymmetry between the two sides, and a faint pink incision line are still common.The 10 day no lifting, bending, straining, or exercise window from EyeWiki usually ends here, but clearance is your surgeon's call. AAO notes that patients may usually resume normal activities within 24 to 48 hours after upper eyelid surgery, which refers to ordinary daily activity, not strenuous exercise. ASPS advises diligent sun protection and darkly tinted sunglasses until the healing process is fully complete.
Most swelling gone, scars still maturingWeeks 3 to 6By this point the obvious bruising is normally finished and most of the swelling is down, though the two sides may still not match exactly and the lids can feel firm or slightly tight. StatPearls reports that decreased sensation along the eyelid margin after upper blepharoplasty can last six to eight weeks, so patchy numbness in this window is expected. Incision lines are often still pink and may feel like a fine ridge. Dry eye is a common complication after upper lid surgery and many people still need daytime drops and a lubricating ointment at night.Most normal activity is back, but follow your surgeon on returning to contact lenses, heavy lifting, and full workouts. Keep protecting the incisions from sun with sunglasses and shade, since ASPS advises sun protection until healing is fully complete. Keep using artificial tears if the eyes feel gritty.
Final settlingMonths 2 to 6The last of the deep swelling resolves slowly and the incision lines keep fading and softening, so the shape you see at two months is usually not the final one. AAO states that postoperative eyelid numbness involving the upper eyelid skin and eyelashes is an expected outcome after upper blepharoplasty and typically resolves over 2 to 4 months. Small differences between the two sides often keep evening out during this stretch. If something still bothers you, this is the window when your surgeon will start talking about whether it will keep improving on its own.No formal restrictions for most people. Keep up sun protection on fresh scars and keep your follow up appointments. Report anything that is getting worse rather than better, including new dryness, a lid that will not close, or a change in lid position.

Day by day

When can I...

Is this normal?

Common questions

How long does swelling last after blepharoplasty?
AAO states that bruising and swelling typically last 10 to 14 days after upper eyelid blepharoplasty, and StatPearls says all patients will have some degree of bruising and swelling, which may last up to 2 weeks. An AAO ophthalmologist answering a patient who still had swelling one week out wrote that it is likely the swelling will settle down over the next week or two, with cool compresses, tear drops, and surgeon follow up. Most of the obvious swelling is gone by about 2 to 3 weeks, and the last of it settles gradually over the following months, which is why surgeons wait several months before calling the result final.
When do the stitches come out after eyelid surgery?
AAO states that nonabsorbable sutures are removed 7 to 14 days after surgery. Some surgeons take upper eyelid sutures out toward the earlier end of that window. EyeWiki describes following up within 1 to 2 weeks of surgery for a postoperative evaluation. Some closures use dissolving sutures or skin adhesive and never need removal, since AAO notes wounds are closed with sutures or adhesive. Ask your own office which type you have and which day yours are coming out.
When can I exercise again after blepharoplasty?
EyeWiki advises avoiding lifting, bending, straining, and exercise during the first 10 days after surgery, and ASOPRS advises keeping the head elevated in early recovery. The concern is bleeding, and AAO puts the risk of retrobulbar hemorrhage after lower eyelid surgery at less than 1 in 20,000. Flat walking is usually fine early. Build back gradually after your surgeon clears you, and back off if your lids swell noticeably after a workout.
Is it normal for one eye to be more swollen than the other?
Yes, uneven swelling between the two sides is very common through the first 2 weeks and usually evens out as swelling comes down. StatPearls also notes that lower eyelid puffiness is normally worse in the first hour or so after waking, when you are tired, and after salty meals, so the difference can change through the day. The pattern that matters is direction: swelling that is getting worse rather than better, especially with severe pain or decreased vision, may represent retrobulbar hemorrhage per AAO and needs immediate medical attention.
What warning signs after blepharoplasty mean I should go to the emergency room?
AAO states that severe pain, decreased vision, and progressive swelling may represent retrobulbar hemorrhage and should be brought to immediate medical attention. StatPearls describes retrobulbar hemorrhage presenting with pain, proptosis meaning the eye pushing forward, nausea, vomiting, and reduced vision, and calls it a surgical emergency. EyeWiki describes it as a rapidly progressive, sight-threatening emergency where intervention needs to happen within about 2 hours of onset. Do not wait for a callback in that situation. Also call your surgeon the same day for signs of infection, new double vision, bleeding that will not stop, or an eye you cannot close.

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