Eye lift surgery is a procedure through which the excess skin from the lower and upper lids is being removed, improving the patient's appearance by providing a more rested, youthful and refreshed look.

Who Can Benefits from and Eye Lift Surgery?

Even people in their twenties often request an eye lift surgery to improve their looks. Many of them have a so-called “puppy dog look”, with the outer eye corner situated lower than the inner corner. These patients usually want almond shaped eyes, like those of Beyonce or Tiger Woods. Individuals of Asian heritage often want their eyes widened.

In mid or late thirties the skin on the eyelids often relaxes and gets thinner. The eyebrow and cheek also descend, causing the eyes to look crowded. As the cheek and eyebrow descend, they pull the outer eye corner down too.

If you want to get some idea if you can benefit from an eye lift surgery, you can do this by looking into the mirror and raising your eyebrows and cheeks about 1 cm.

Can Sagging Upper Lids Be Treated with a Brow Lift Instead?

Some doctors prefer to treat sagging upper lids with a brow lift instead of an eye lift surgery. This is because they think drooping lids are in most cases caused by a sagging brow. Therefore, lids and eyebrows can sometimes be reshaped to look more youthful by lifting the brow. You should discuss to your surgeon in order to determine whether your sagging upper lids can be treated better with a brow lift rather than an eye lift surgery.

Is There Any Risk to Eye Lift Surgery?

If the surgeon is highly skilled and experienced, the risks of further complications or eye damage are very low. However, as any surgical procedure, there is a small chance for something to go differently than expected. The surgical procedure consists of a tiny incision inside the lid to remove fat. The eyeball is protected by a special shield to prevent eye damage. Most of the eye lift surgery is performed on the outside, so the risk to damage the eye is very low.

How Soon Do You Recover from an Eye Lift Surgery?

The skin around the eyes will be bruised for around 10 days. You can go out in public wearing some large sunglasses. Occasionally the swelling persists for a longer period. However, this can usually be treated with massage.

Does It Hurt?

Eye lift surgery can be done either under local anesthesia in the office or “twilight” anesthesia in an out-patient hospital. Either way, a professional surgeon will ensure you will not feel anything. Most patients have reported that the most painful part is when you stitches are being removed. However, some surgeons have a special way of placing the stitches so that the removal is less painful.

How Much Does Eye Lift Surgery Cost?

Eye lift surgery is less expensive when performed in the office, as there are no anesthesia or hospital fees. The average price for an upper eye lift surgery performed in the office is around $1800.
To reduce possible complications, you should try to avoid activities that involve straining, stooping or bending during the immediate period after the surgery. It is also recommended to avoid situations where foreign material can get into the eye.