Congratulations! You made it through the surgery. We are here for you through your recovery.
After your surgery, there are many things which you can do to assure the best possible outcome. Each person recovers at a different pace, but this care sheet gives you an idea about what you can do to get better as quickly as possible.
If you have any questions, please call our office at 801-685-3398.
Vision
Your vision may be blurred and out of focus after surgery. You may experience periods where it feels like you are “looking through a window that’s not fully transparent” or you cannot get things into clear focus. This is usually from dryness of the eyes and may take 2-3 weeks to improve. In addition, the antibiotic drops or ointment that has been prescribed may temporarily blur your vision, but it is important to still use it. If your vision becomes gradually dimmer or completely dark, this is not normal and you need to call our office immediately.
Eye Care
For the first 48 hours after surgery, you can use ice packs frequently – only while awake – to help reduce bruising. Small bags of frozen peas make good ice packs. Remember to always put something between your skin and an ice pack (gauze pad, moist washcloth, etc). If you are wearing a patch or other type of dressing following surgery, keep this on for a few hours. After 2 days, you can switch warm compresses on the eyes instead of icepacks.
Stitches/Incisions
If you have visible stitches, you will need to treat them with great care for the first 10 days. It is okay to shower. You may gently clean the eyelashes and around the eyes with water moistened cotton balls. DO NOT RUB THE STITCHES VIGOROUSLY. Keeping the stitches moist with the prescription ointment will help promote healing and reduce scar formation. If you had a lower blepharoplasty (eye bag removal) or ptosis repair (upper eyelid muscle repair), the sutures may not be visible due to the scarless surgery technique.
If you had a laser treatment please refer to those instructions for laser care.
Medications
You have been given a prescription for an antibiotic drop or ointment to use 2 times a day on the eye (if it’s an eyedrop) or on your stitches (if an ointment) for 14 days. Please AVOID aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen for pain for at least the first 48 hours. If you have pain, we recommend Tylenol. You may use ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) AFTER 48 hours. If you chose to purchase Scar cream to minimize scarring after surgery, begin at 14 days after surgery and use a small amount just on the incisions twice a day until 3 months after surgery.
It’s helpful to use over-the-counter artificial tears 4 times a day in the operative eye(s) starting right after surgery (e.g. Refresh, Systane, Soothe, Genteal, Theratears, or Tears Naturale). At bedtime, place a thin ribbon of the antibiotic ointment or artificial tear ointment such as Genteal gel or Refresh PM into your eye by placing it at the outer corner between the lashes. This will keep your eyes moist since you will not make normal, healthy tears for a period of time after surgery.
You can resume taking any prescription blood thinners the day after surgery, and any GLP-1 medications (e.g. Ozempic, Mounjaro, semaglutide, tirzepatide) the day after.
Activity
When you leave the surgery center, you should go home and rest. You do not need to sleep upright, Dr. Eftekhari does not feel this is helpful.
You will not be allowed to drive yourself home the day of surgery, so be sure you have a ride. If you do not have a ride arranged, your surgery will be cancelled and cancellation fees will apply. Most patients can drive on post-op day 1-3 after surgery, depending on the procedure.
Using your eyes will NOT harm them, so feel free to read, watch TV, use the computer, etc. as desired. Do not swim or do strenuous activities (anything that makes your face strain or turn red) for the first 10 days following surgery. You may not want to wear contact lenses for 2-3 days following surgery because they’ll get ointment on them, but you can if you prefer.
Do NOT wear eye makeup for 10 days, no false lashes or lash serums for 2 weeks. Avoid swimming, hot tubs, gardening, and dusting for 2 weeks to reduce risks of an infection. If you get BoTox injections you can resume those 2 weeks after surgery.
Healing Course
Your eyelid will be swollen and bruised for several weeks after surgery. The appearance of your eye will continue to get better for several months. Most people feel ready to go out in public and back to work in about 10-14 days. This will depend on your job as well as how you feel about people knowing about your surgery. You can purchase Lid Lift Goggles to speed up resolution of bruising, but they do block out your vision while you’re wearing them the first few days.
Numbness in the surgical area is expected. It might take 12-18 months for the feeling to return to normal. During this time sensations of itchiness, tingling, and occasional sharp pains might be noted. These feelings are normal and will subside once the nerves have completely healed.
Watch closely for changes in your health and be sure to contact our office if you have any problems.
Emergency:
If you experience SEVERE EYE PAIN or HEADACHE UNRELIEVED BY TYLENOL; NAUSEA or VOMITING; WORSENING REDNESS; or WORSENING VISION (especially vision that was initially better), please call Dr. Eftekhari at 801-685-3398 or 801-328-2522.