Blepharoplasty: What It Is and Who Needs It

“Everyone keeps asking if I didn’t sleep well” — a 52-year-old woman came to the ophthalmologist with this complaint. Her eyes appeared smaller, upper eyelids drooped, giving her face a tired look. Examination revealed that excess upper eyelid skin was already narrowing her upper visual field. This wasn’t cosmetics — it was a medical indication. Blepharoplasty addresses both problems at once.

What Is Blepharoplasty

Blepharoplasty is surgical eyelid correction: removing excess skin and fat hernias, strengthening periorbital muscles. It can be upper (correcting drooping upper lids), lower (eliminating bags and wrinkles under the eyes), or combined. The procedure sits at the intersection of ophthalmology and aesthetic medicine.

Medical Indications

Dermatochalasis — excess upper eyelid skin restricting the visual field. The person instinctively raises their eyebrows to see better, causing forehead tension and headaches. Lower eyelid fat hernias can cause chronic conjunctival irritation. Ptosis (eyelid drooping) is a separate condition requiring surgical correction to preserve normal vision.

How the Procedure Works

Blepharoplasty is performed as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia with sedation. Duration: 40 minutes for upper lids only, up to 1.5 hours for combined. The upper eyelid incision follows the natural crease — the scar becomes virtually invisible after healing. The surgeon removes or redistributes excess skin and fat tissue.

Recovery: Week by Week

Days 1–3: swelling and bruising are normal; cold compresses help. Days 5–7: suture removal, swelling down by 60–70%. Weeks 2–3: residual swelling and bruising disappear. Months 1–3: final result forms gradually. The effect lasts 7–15 years.

Choosing a Clinic

Blepharoplasty is surgery on a delicate zone with minimal margin for error. Pre-surgical eye diagnostics are mandatory: intraocular pressure measurement, tear film assessment, visual field testing. At S-Clinic in Chernivtsi, blepharoplasty is performed by an ophthalmologist specializing in oculoplastic surgery. Book a consultation online or by phone.