Read the practical considerations around eyelid surgery preparation, with individual preparation and recovery decisions confirmed by your treating team.
Key points
- Discuss your individual suitability, alternatives and risks with the treating clinician.
- Ask for written preparation and recovery instructions, including your medicines and follow-up.
- Confirm the healthcare facility, full costs and arrangements before booking travel.
On this page
- General facts
- How to prepare for blepharoplasty surgery?
- Double eyelid surgery Preparation
- Eyelid surgery preparation tips
- What to do before eyelid surgery?
- Prepare yourself for the risks and complications of blepharoplasty
- The bottom line
- Medical & Cosmetic Treatments
- A practical point for your care
- Plan your next step
- Sources
Blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery is a minor surgery that aims to amend the droopy upper and/or lower eyelids by resection excess skin, fat, and reshapes the eyelid.
The preparation for the blepharoplasty surgery is very important for the patient to ensure good results for her/his operation and to get the desirable outcomes. The good results depend so far on the good preparations before eyelid surgery, as we will see in this article.
How Should I Prepare for Eyelid Surgery?
General facts
- Eye-doctor consultation is an important step in preparations for eyelids surgery.
- Physical examination and some other general examinations may be needed before eyelid surgery.
- Eyes examination and some special eye tests are necessary as a preparatory step for blepharoplasty.
- Most blepharoplasty patients are females. However, it can be done for men, too.
- Blepharoplasty surgery is mainly done for aesthetic purposes, but some medical reasons might justify it as well.
- Expectation ought to be realistic and feasible.
Blepharoplasty surgery is mainly done for aesthetic purposes, but some medical reasons might justify it as well.
How to prepare for blepharoplasty surgery?
Consultation: when a person or one of her/his relative indicates a problem in her/his eyelid, he/she will ask for consultation with an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) or a plastic surgeon. The surgeon then will discuss many items with the patient.
The important matter is to discuss the incentive for surgery, “Is the blepharoplasty surgery necessary for the patient?” “Is eyelid surgery for medical or cosmetic purposes or both?” “Is it really necessary or there is an alternative for the surgery?” These matters will attentively be discussed along with their reasonability and the possibility of achieving patient goals and expectations. Add to these the potential side effects of this surgery.
After arriving at a decision of surgery, the surgeon will ask about:
Medical history: The surgeon will evaluate the general health of her/his patient and ask about some diseases such as dry eyes, glaucoma, allergies, circulation problems, thyroid problem and diabetes among others. If there is any doubts about these diseases, he/she may ask for some tests or other consultations. Furthermore, the surgeon will ask about all the medicine, vitamins, herbal supplement and whether the patient smokes or consumes alcohol.
The patient expectations: What is the patient incentive for the surgery, medical or esthetic purpose, or both? What he/she wants of this surgery, are his/her demands possible, is he/she aware of potential complications? The surgeon will clarify these points and explain what is feasible from the surgery. Then the patient will have a real imagination for the prospective outcomes for this surgery. In the consultation session, you may ask about everything you want to know.
Eyes examination and some special eye tests are necessary as a preparatory step for blepharoplasty.
Double eyelid surgery Preparation
Drinking alcohol: Alcohol causes dehydration of the body, so the patient must abstain from taking alcohol for a week before and a week after surgery and keep hydrated before and after surgery.
Moreover, the surgeon may do or ask for eye examination and vision ability, peripheral vision, tear production and so on. Then he/she will demand many eyelid photographs from several angles. These photos help in designing the surgery and assisting of knowledge the potential probabilities of this surgery.
Eyelid surgery preparation tips
Expectation of the eyelid surgery results ought to be realistic and feasible.
What to do before eyelid surgery?
In addition to what is mentioned above, it is better to arrange many things relating to your house beforehand to avoid bending, lifting, or strenuous activity. Here are some of the preferable duties you ought to do while you prepare for eyelid surgery:
- Put some prepared meals to consume after surgery in the refrigerator. You can also buy pre-prepared and canned meals.
- Ask one of your close relatives or friends to drive and accompany you during the day of surgery. You must not drive yourself, especially after surgery.
- Remember that you will be on complete rest. Hard activities such as bending, lifting, coughing, sneezing and putting a pressure in the lavatory are prohibited.
- Ask your partner or one of your family members to attend to your children during the recovery time.
- Put your everyday items and your medicine on a table or in a nearby cupboard within your reach to avoid hard activity.
Prepare yourself for the risks and complications of blepharoplasty
Blepharoplasty surgery is a simple but delicate surgery in which the surgeon corrects and adapts the eyelids by removing some excess skin and fat, then reshapes the eyelids. The process diminishes or abolishes vision problems and make the person look younger and more alert through his new look.
The procedure is generally safe, but like any other surgery, there are some risks and complications after the surgery such as bleeding, infection, scarring, asymmetry, ptosis, etc. Choosing an experienced surgeon may lessen or abolish these side effects. Some of these risks may be serious, though they are very rare. Therefore, the surgeon ought to explain the potential risks and complications as a part of preparing for blepharoplasty surgery and to be sure that the patient understands it well.
The bottom line
Good preparation before eyelid surgery is intended to achieve two main purposes for the patient. The first is to reach the day of surgery in complete readiness. The other purpose is to make the patient more alert and cautious during the first week after surgery at least, to avoid side effects related to hard activities.
Blepharoplasty surgery is a delicate surgery, though it is so far successful and safe. The patient ought to alter some of his/ her habits for some time. Smoking or drinking a glass of wine may be very tempted, and it is very difficult to change everyday routine such as bending or lifting a baby to your chest, or coughing, sneezing, etc. All these usual activities may cause some complications for the patient and retards the recovery time.
Medical & Cosmetic Treatments
Feel free to express your opinions or ask your questions regarding the article
A practical point for your care
Before an operation, the pre-assessment team should review your health, previous tests and all medicines and supplements. Ask for written instructions on medicines, eating, drinking and aftercare that apply to your planned procedure.[1]
Plan your next step
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Sources
[1] NHS: Preparing for surgery — supports the individual-care planning note above. ↑ Back to text
Editorial adaptation: 25 October 2026. General information for planning and discussion; your clinician’s individual instructions take priority.