A small amount of lagopthalmos (inability to fully close your lids over the globe) is not unusual immediately after a blepharoplasty. This typically resolves within the first few days and can be related to the local numbing medication and swelling.
During blepharoplasty, often the eyelid skin is removed or tightened. When the skin is removed the eyelids can feel tight and often the eyelids do not close fully for the first month after this. If a patient has this it tends to get better.
Rest and sleep with your head raised on 2 to 3 pillows for 2 weeks or as directed by your surgeon. This will help prevent swelling at your surgical sites.
This may feel strange or even frightening at first, but rest assured that this is a normal postoperative effect that should subside with time. The majority of patients report tightness after eyelid surgery to last for about two weeks, though numbness or a change in eyelid sensation may last longer.
Since the eyes swell following eyelid surgery, the ability for a patient to blink is affected. Consequently, the cornea is not covered adequately by the tear film, which causes a dry feeling. In some cases, the procedure alters the composition of the tear film, leading to dry eyes.
Answer: Lagophthalmos after Blepharoplasty
Consistent lubrication - especially at night - can help to keep the eyes safe and comfortable. Usually, the skin will stretch with time to help with closure, but occasionally skin grafting is necessary to make up for the deficit.
Ptosis repair surgery is designed to improve the position of your upper eyelid, and in some instances allow you to better elevate the lid. An inability to completely close your eyes to within a 1-1.5 mm immediately after surgery is common. However, this should not be persistent or last longer than 1-2 weeks.
You should begin gentle massage to the eyelids one week after surgery. This will help smooth any irregularities and areas of firmness. You may apply lotion to your hand to massage and/or you may use a vibrating massager.
Classically the ptosis is more severe in the evening, although all ptosis is worse later in the day or with fatigue. Important physical exam findings include fatigability on prolonged upgaze and an overshoot of the eyelid height when making a saccade from downgaze to primary position (Cogan's lid twitch).
In most cases mild postoperative lagophthalmos resolves several days or a few weeks after eyelid surgery. Excessive upper or lower eyelid skin resection may cause prolonged lagophthalmos (Fig. 4). Poor eyelid closure may lead to exacerbation of dry eyes and result in exposure keratoconjunctivitis.
Fortunately for our patients, the procedure can be reversed! This is done by resecting the sutured crease. Dr. Linville will then add a spacer under the skin to ensure that the eyelid cannot crease like that again.
Full blepharoplasty recovery time typically takes about 3 months but you can expect to get back to your normal routine after 2-3 weeks of healing. Below, check out a general guide on what you should expect for your overall timeframe.
Avoid activities that raise your blood pressure, including bending, lifting and rigorous sports. Keep activities to a minimum for 3-5 days; avoid strenuous activities for 2-3 weeks. Read or watch television after 2-3 days. Return to work in 10-14 days.
Asymmetry, the eyes look different, or heal differently.
The eyes may look or feel quite different from one another in the days following surgery. This is normal; no two eyes in nature or following surgery are perfectly symmetrical.
Your eyelids will probably look puffy after surgery. The incisions will probably look red, too. The swelling and bruising involved with blepharoplasty recovery tend to resemble a black eye. That is all normal.
Don't rub your eyes or attempt to go swimming, work out vigorously or lift heavy objects. Keep your eyes covered from the sun and wind with dark, protective sunglasses. Do not attempt to wear contact lenses for the first few weeks after your surgery. Your doctor will tell you when it is okay.
The results of this procedure are apparent immediately, but it can take up to six weeks to see the final results of the procedure. How soon your final results become apparent depends on several factors, including how well you follow the post-operative care instructions.
Swelling typically appears shortly after surgery, peaks two to four days after the procedure, and then slowly subsides over the next few days. Some residual swelling may remain for several weeks, but this is typically minor and shouldn't interfere greatly with social commitments.
The problem is also called ptosis. Drooping of the eyelid is called ptosis. Ptosis may result from damage to the nerve that controls the muscles of the eyelid, problems with the muscle strength (as in myasthenia gravis), or from swelling of the lid.
What is lagophthalmos? Lagophthalmos is a condition that prevents your eyes from closing completely. If the problem only happens when you sleep, it's called nocturnal lagophthalmos. The condition itself is usually harmless, but it does leave your eyes vulnerable to damage.
Post-upper blepharoplasty syndrome is characterized by upper eyelid ptosis, lash ptosis, high or indistinct upper eyelid crease, hollow upper eyelid sulcus (absent upper eyelid fold), and a compensatory eyebrow elevation. We call this configuration a “synform” upper eyelid fold.
Ptosis. Ptosis of varying degree is common for patients to experience the day after upper lid blepharoplasty. The experienced surgeon who is certain that the levator muscle and aponeurosis was identified and preserved during surgery will not be alarmed.
Droopy eyelids (the medical term is ptosis) can be caused by several factors, says Erik Hoy, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon at Premier Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery in Newark, Delaware. "Lack of sleep or fatigue can decrease how well the muscles of the upper eyelid function.
According to the National Stroke Association, forcing your eyelids to work out every hour may improve eyelid droop. You can work eyelid muscles by raising your eyebrows, placing a finger underneath and holding them up for several seconds at a time while trying to close them.