What are some of the risks and complications of eyelift surgery?

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Answer

Eyelift surgery is a relatively uncomplicated one and has a low risk of side effects. That being said, no surgery is perfect and there is always a small chance that something may go wrong, including infection and reactions to the anesthesia. Though minor complications are more common, there still exists the possibility of major complications.

The most common side effects of blepharoplasty are double or blurred vision for a few days after surgery, bruising and swelling. Double or blurred vision that lasts for more than three or four days should be reported to your surgeon. But bruising and swelling can last up to a month after the surgery. Your eyes may be dry and itchy for the first week, and then become teary and sensitive to light for a few weeks after that.

You may notice that your scars remain a pink color for several months. The scarring should lighten up and become almost invisible before long. However, some people have a genetic tendency to scar worse than others, which could contribute to more visible scarring. Your ability to heal will also have an affect on the appearance of scars. You may find tiny whiteheads along the area where your incision was made. These can be removed by your doctor using a very fine needle and should not leave any permanent marks.

More severe, though much less common, side effects include difficulty closing your eyes during sleep. This is usually temporary, but in extremely rare circumstances it can be permanent. Further surgery may be needed if you begin to notice the lower lids pulling down. Sometimes this will remedy itself, however.

Hematomas can occur as a result of blood pooling around the eye. This may resolve itself, but if it does not, or if it is unusually large, it will need to be drained. If too much fatty tissue is removed from the eye area, the result may be a sunken appearance. There is also the possibility that the eyes may no longer look identical if the surgery is not performed exactly the same on each eye.

The most severe complications are very rare. These include damage to the surface of the eye or the tissue surrounding the eye, acute glaucoma, and partial or complete blindness.

Though, again, most of these side effects are very isolated, you should take everything into consideration when thinking about cosmetic surgery.

First answer by Writermags. Last edit by Writermags. Contributor trust: 71 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 37 [recommend question]