Eyelid Surgery/ Blepharoplasty
Plastic Surgery in Atlanta, GA

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

Downtime is typically 1 week for upper eyelid surgery and 2 weeks for lower eyelid surgery. Most people can see their final results from blepharoplasty surgery after about 4 to 6 weeks, certainly by 3 months.

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.

The cost of blepharoplasty varies and depends on multiple factors including prior surgery, upper vs. lower eyelid surgery, location of surgery (office vs. operating room), and type of anesthesia, among other factors. When your treatment plan has been decided during your consultation, Dr. Walker’s team will go over estimated costs with you. Although finances are important, you should focus on finding a skilled and caring surgeon you trust rather than on the cost associated with your procedure. Dr. Walker’s team will be happy to go over financing options with you.

Yes, in fact it is commonly combined with a brow lift, facelift, neck lift, or rhinoplasty. Laser skin resurfacing is also commonly performed in conjunction with eyelid surgery, as is autologous fat transfer. There are obvious advantages from a cost and downtime perspective when combining procedures as long as it can safely be done. 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, infection, dry irritated eyes, scarring, skin discoloration, and more. Dr. Walker will discuss all these risks thoroughly with you during your consultation. However, when performed by a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon such as Dr. Walker, these risks are minimized.

Some insurance plans cover the cost for 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. 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 incisino gets placed into the natural crease of the upper eyelid. For lower eyelid surgery, there are 2 different approaches where one approach placed the incision on the inside of the lower eyelid with no visible scarring (transconjunctival), which is the most common approach of Dr. Walker. On occasion, Dr. Walker performs a subciliary approach with a tiny incision just below the lashline. In any of the cases, scarring will heal to be almost unnoticeable.

It depends. In general, there is no good non-surgical alternatives to upper eyelid surgery. For the lower eyelid, facial fillers or fat transfers can be an alternative but this depends on the severity of the tear trough deformity and your expectations. Results generally don’t last nearly as long from non-surgical treatment alternatives but there is also less downtime associated with non-surgical options. Dr. Walker will go over the various options with you during your consultation and formulate a customized treatment plan taking your wishes, personal goals, and tolerability of downtime into consideration.

No. However, Botox can help raise the eyebrown a couple of millimeters in some patients and thereby secondarily raise the eyelid a little.

Following eyelid surgery, you can reduce bruising by applying a cold compress to the area, sleeping on your back with your head elevated, and avoiding exercise and strenuous activity until your doctor clears you to do so. Arnica or bromelain can also help. Following Dr. Walker’s instructions with medication restrictions and other aftercare advice is the best way to reduce bruising.

During eyelid surgery, the incisions are designed to be well concealed within the natural structures of the eyelid area. The upper eyelid and/or lower eyelid can be treated via an incision through which fat deposits can be removed or transposed in the lower eyelid, removed in the upper eyelid if needed, and excess skin removed in the upper eyelid as needed.