The skin of the upper eyelid is thin and it has a very rich blood supply. Provided the post-operative instructions are adhered to, the wound heals very quickly. Sutures are removed within a week and by 2 weeks the swelling has largely resolved. In fact Dr Stradwick has had patients return to sedentary work the day after surgery.

It is important to understand the role of eyebrow position in deciding which patients are suitable for this procedure. If eyebrow position is low then Dr Stradwick will usually recommend a browlift rather then an upper eyelid reduction. A good test is to close your eyes in front of a mirror and then open them gently. In a female the eyebrow should be located just above the rim of the eye socket, in a male it should be along the rim. If you need to contract the forehead muscles to lift the eyebrows up to these positions then its probable a browlift is necessary. As always this would be tested and your options discussed with Dr Stradwick at your consultation.

Yes there are a small number of reports in the literature of this occurring. Even though the risk is very small, because this is such a devastating complication all patients must be warned of the risk. In the past aggressive removal of fat from around the eyeball was a routine part of upper eyelid reduction. Associated with this was the potential to cause bleeding behind the eye. We now recognise that in addition to this risk, removing excess fat results in a sinking of the eyeball and hollowing of the eye. For these reasons fat removal is increasingly uncommon. Dr Stradwick only removes a conservative amount of fat and only when absolutely necessary.