Pre-Operative Instructions For Oculofacial Plastic Surgery

You have been scheduled for eyelid plastic surgery. The following instructions will help to ensure your safest possible surgery.

Before surgery, consider picking up the following things to have at home for aftercare:

1. Tylenol
2. Artificial Tears
3. Prescriptions we send to your Pharmacy
4. Small Vaseline or Aquaphor
5. Sterile Gauze

1. Stop taking Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Aleve, Fish Oil and other medications that can thin your blood 7 days before surgery.
2. If you take Coumadin, Plavix, Xarelto, Eliquis or any other prescription blood thinning medication, please ask your prescribing physician if you can safely stop these medications 2 days before surgery. Aspirin should be stopped 7 days before if permitted by your physician.
3. Do not wear makeup, particularly eye makeup. Remove false eyelashes if present.
4. If you wear contact lenses these will have to be removed before surgery. Bring a storage case with you and your glasses to wear following surgery.
5. If you have a heart condition that requires antibiotics before any procedure, please take that medication the day of your surgery.
6. If you are doing your procedure in a surgery center or hospital, do not eat any solid food after 11:00 pm the night before surgery. This includes alcohol, mints, gum, or candies. You may drink clear liquids up to 2 hours prior to your scheduled check-in time. Clear liquids include water, fruit juices without pulp (apple juice, grape juice), carbonated beverages, sports drinks, clear tea, and black coffee – no cream or sugar. Clear liquids do not include alcohol, orange juices, broth, milk, coffee creamer. If you do not abide by this your surgery will be rescheduled by the anesthesia team at the surgical facility.
7. If you are having surgery under anesthesia, it is recommended but not required that you have someone with you the first night after your surgery should you need care. If you need to be connected with a nursing service, please inquire with us for details. You can legally drive the day after surgery, but depending on the speed of your recovery, you may not feel safe to do so for a few days after eyelid surgery.
8. If you are doing the procedure in the office, Dr. Eftekhari may prescribe a sedative and another pill called tranexamic acid. Bring the sedative to the office and our medical assistant will help administer it. Take the first tranexamic acid pill 3 hours before your procedure to reduce bleeding during and after surgery.

Before Surgery

The hospital or surgical center will call you the day before with time of arrival and instructions regarding medications. You will not be allowed to drive yourself home after surgery, so please make arrangements for a ride. Smoking is discouraged as it will impair healing after surgery.