Home care instructions after eyelid surgery

Certain medications and nutritional supplements may increase the risk of bleeding in the surgical site and prevent blood from clotting: 

• ASA medications (e.g., Primaspan, Aspirin, Disperin) must be discontinued one week before surgery, unless they have been prescribed for an earlier heart attack or stroke. Consult your operating surgeon and/or your doctor about the use of these medications. 
• The breaks in the administration of any blood thinning medications (e.g., Marevan, Plavix, Praxada) will be determined on an individual basis. Consult your operating surgeon and/or your doctor about the use of these medications. 
• Nutritional supplements, such as Omega-3 fatty acid capsules, may increase bleeding in the surgical site. You should discontinue taking omega fatty acid products three weeks before surgery. You can resume taking them one week after surgery.  
• If you have hypertension, your blood pressure should be at a controlled level before surgery. 
• Surgery will not be performed if you have a fever, cough, stomach flu, eye inflammation or an inflammation on the face and/or mouth area (such as herpes, blepharitis, acute tooth infection or pain). 
• If you fall ill before surgery, please contact our customer service, tel. +358 10 190 200 (nationwide appointment line/surgery help line, service hours Mon – Fri 8 am – 6 pm, Sat 9 am – 4 pm). 

Other things to note before surgery: 

• Do not apply eyelash tinting or wear lash extensions for two weeks before surgery.  
• Do not pluck your eyebrows for one week before surgery  
• Make sure you have cold packs at home before surgery. 
• You should take a shower and wash your hair on the night before or on the morning of surgery. 

Huomioi nämä asiat leikkauspäivänä

• Remember: only come for surgery if you are in good health! 
• On the day of surgery, you can eat and take your medications normally.  
• Apply your usual eye medicine normally. Bring along the medicines you will need during the day. 
• Do not wear any makeup or perfume when you come for surgery. 
• Reserve about 1–3 hours for the visit  
• A premedicated patient must be accompanied by an escort (discharge home by taxi is permitted) 
• driving a car after the operation is not permitted

Bring the following with you to the surgery 

• a completed patient information form 
• an identity card and Kela card 
• the medications you need (e.g., asthma spray, insulin, nitroglycerin) 
• the S-Etukortti card, if you have one.

Procedure

• With age, the skin of the eyelids loses its elasticity, which causes increasing drooping of the skin above the upper eyelid and/or below the lower eyelid. Sometimes this involves fat tissue intruding under the muscle layer of the eyelid. The resulting symptoms include eye tiredness, headache, chafing lashes and the narrowing of the field of vision. This may cause both functional and cosmetic inconvenience. 
• An eyelid surgery, also called blepharoplasty, refers to a surgery performed on the upper eyelid, in which skin, muscle and fat tissue is removed, as needed. The procedure is performed under local anaesthesia, and the surface of the eye is also anaesthetised. The incision is closed with thin sutures, which must be removed after 6 to 7 days. If needed, surgical tape is applied to the ends of the sutures. You can go home in about an hour after the completion of the operation. 
• A brow lift can also be included in the procedure. This will be discussed with your doctor in advance. 
• In addition to the upper eyelid surgery, the procedure can include the removal of chalazions, eyelid tumours and xanthomas, as well as the correction of eyelid malpositions. These will be discussed with your operating surgeon in advance. 
• After surgery, we will monitor your condition for about an hour, after which you can go home. Driving is not permitted after the surgery. If you do not have another person to drive you home, you can take a taxi. Transportation will be ordered for you by hospital staff, if necessary. 

Risks associated with the procedure

While eyelid surgery involves minor risks, there is no such thing as a risk-free surgical procedure. Risks associated with eyelid surgery are listed below: 

Infection

An infection of the surgical incision in the face and eyelid area is possible although rare. If you notice any signs of infection (redness, exudate, pain, fever), you should contact the clinic where you had the operation or your own health centre. 

Haematoma  

After surgery, many patients develop haematomas, which usually dissipate in 1–3 weeks. If you want, you can bring sunglasses along when you arrive for surgery.

• The incisions must be kept dry for 24 hours after surgery.  
• You may lightly shower the incisions with lukewarm water and dab them dry.  
• Avoid rubbing.  
• Always wash your hands first. 
• If surgical tape was applied on the incisions, keep the tape in place until the sutures are removed. 
• The following are not permitted during the first two weeks after surgery: 
• Heavy and dirty work 
• Physical exertion 
• Going to the sauna, swimming and water aerobics 
• Eye makeup 
• The following are permitted: 
• Light household chores, such as cooking, handicraft, reading and watching TV 
• Going outdoors in a windy or rainy weather, as long as you protect your eyes with eyeglasses or sunglasses. 
• You can take painkillers if you feel any pain. 

You may feel slight aching in the surgical site during the first few days. This is completely normal and is caused by the incision, which will heal in 1–2 weeks. You may take painkillers for the aching, if needed. The surgical incision may produce some exudate mixed with blood. 

After the procedure, cryotherapy of the surgical site will begin at the clinic and should be continued at home for the next few days and longer, if necessary. Apply a cold pack on the surgical site for approximately 20 minutes 4–6 times per day, to reduce swelling and bleeding. Do not place the cold pack directly on the skin but place a towel, for example, between the pack and the skin. In case of slight oozing of blood from the site of the procedure, apply the cold pack for a bit longer and the bleeding will stop. The swelling and bruises in the site of the procedure will last for 1–2 weeks. You will be given sick leave, if needed. 

If you experience nausea, severe pain in the incision, redness, swelling, hotness or the bleeding won’t stop, please contact us:  

Silmäasema’s nationwide appointment line/surgery help line, tel. +358 10 190 200 (Mon–Fri 8 am – 6 pm, Sat 9 am – 4 pm)