Eyelid Surgery Recovery

One of the major deciding factors in whether or not a potential patient undergoes a procedure is the recovery time. No one wants to spend months and months on the sofa, waiting to get back to normal. Luckily, thats not the case with eyelid surgery. Recovery from eyelid surgery can be quick!
The first question you may have is: when can I go back to work? Many patients can go back to work after about ten days. You may still have a bit of blurry vision at that point, so looking at a computer screen for long periods of time may be uncomfortable. This means that the exact day you can go back to work can vary from person to person, depending on what your job is.
You will need to restrict very strenuous activity for up to three weeks, depending on your situation and the advice of the surgeon. Stick to your glasses for up to two weeks after surgery- dont put in your contacts. They wont be comfortable, anyway.
If you wear makeup, you can go back to it within a week or two. Makeup is actually very helpful in covering any bruising you may have after surgery. Sleeping may be uncomfortable for a few days after surgery, but it helps to sleep with your head elevated on a two or three pillows to keep swelling down overnight.
You may experience some bruising after surgery, thought its severity will vary from patient to patient. There will also be some swelling that may increase in the days after surgery, but it should go down after that and be completely gone within three weeks. If you have any discomfort after surgery, you can ask your surgeon for pain reliever. Cold compresses will also help with the swelling and can relieve some of the discomfort.
The aftercare instructions of your surgical site will be given to you by the surgeon. You may be instructed to keep your eyes lubricated with some over-the-counter artificial tears. You may also be instructed to wear sunglasses when you go outside during your recovery period, since some patients experience a bit of light sensitivity after surgery. Also, if you go outside, wear a sunblock on the surgical area (ask your surgeon for a brand recommendation).
You will have stitches in the surgical site that will be gone after about seven days. This may cause some itching, but dont scratch them.
Of course, your exact after-surgery instructions and recovery period will vary depending on your specific situation. But, in general, you should be able to return to normal activity within 10 days to two weeks.
Visit our eyelid surgery page and view an eyelid surgery animation and eyelid surgery before and after photos.
If you’re interested in coming into NOVA Plastic Surgery in Virginia for a consultation, call (703) 574-2588 or click here to set up a consultation.
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