Most patients describe eyelid surgery as more uncomfortable than painful. Soreness and swelling are common in the first few days, but these can be managed easily with prescribed medication and cold compresses. Discomfort typically subsides relatively quickly, and most patients find recovery easier than they anticipated.

You’ll begin with a consultation to determine the best surgical plan. After your procedure, expect at least two follow‑up visits in the first few weeks to monitor healing and remove sutures as needed. Additional visits may be scheduled if necessary, but many patients require only a few appointments beyond the initial consultation and surgery.

You should expect to avoid anything too strenuous for at least two weeks to allow your eyelids to heal properly. But we do encourage some light walking after surgery to help promote circulation. Anything else, such as running, weightlifting, or high‑impact workouts, should wait until Dr. Walker clears you during a follow‑up visit.

Yes, in fact, it is commonly combined with a brow lift, deep plane facelift, neck lift, rhinoplasty, or other cosmetic procedures. Laser skin resurfacing is also commonly performed in conjunction with eyelid surgery, as is autologous fat transfer / fat grafting to the face. There are obvious advantages in terms of cost and downtime when combining procedures, as long as it can be done safely. Dr. Walker will be happy to discuss various options with you to customize your treatment plan.

As with any surgery, eyelid surgery comes with some risks. These include infection or bleeding, dry, irritated eyes, scarring, skin discoloration, visual changes, and more. Dr. Walker will discuss all these risks thoroughly with you during your consultation. However, when performed by a double board-certified and experienced Facial Plastic Surgeon such as Dr. Walker, these risks are minimized and the occurrences of major complications are negligibly small.

When searching for the best eyelid surgery surgeon, it’s essential to look for a double board‑certified Facial Plastic Surgeon who specializes in eyelid and facial procedures. Experience, credentials, and before‑and‑after photos are key indicators of skill.

Patients in Atlanta choose Dr. Thomas Walker because of his advanced training, affiliations with leading medical organizations, and reputation for delivering natural, refined results with personalized care.

Yes, hooded eyelids can be corrected during a blepharoplasty, or eyelid lift.

Dr. Walker most commonly performs lower eyelid surgery through an incision on the inside of the eye so that no scar will ever be visible.

Following eyelid surgery, your eyelids may feel sore and tight. The eyes may be watery, dry, itchy, or sensitive to light, and your vision may be blurry for a few days. Dr. Walker will give you specific aftercare instructions to follow during recovery. Icing, head elevation, and activity restrictions are critical to expedite the healing process.

Some insurance plans cover the cost of upper eyelid surgery if there is proven functional impairment of the visual field. This often requires an evaluation by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. If the field of vision is diminished, the surgery would be considered functional surgery as opposed to cosmetic surgery, as long as certain other criteria are met, which vary between insurance plans. A visual field evaluation is always necessary to determine if you qualify for possible insurance coverage.

Eyelid surgery always involves an incision, whether it’s upper or lower eyelid surgery. However, these incisions are extremely inconspicuous once fully healed and essentially cannot be seen. For upper eyelid surgery, the incision is placed into the natural crease of the upper eyelid. For lower eyelid surgery, there are two different approaches, where one approach places the incision on the inside of the lower eyelid with no visible scarring (transconjunctival), which is the most common approach performed by Dr. Walker. On occasion, Dr. Walker performs a subciliary approach with a tiny incision just below the lash line. In any of the cases, scarring will heal to be almost unnoticeable.

Eyelid surgery typically takes 1 hour for an upper eyelid surgery and 1.5-2 hours for lower eyelid surgery to complete, with slight variations depending on the patient.