Our eyes are how we connect with others, and unfortunately, they give away signs of ageing more readily than the rest of our body. Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure that corrects drooping upper eyelids and baggy lower eyelids, making you look less tired and more youthful. And it's so much easier to wear eye make-up, too!
Your way to more youthful eyes, 
style
At , everything starts with a consultation. Dr Patrick Lyall, your plastic surgeon, will talk you through your best options. You may need a procedure for only your upper or lower eyelids, or both at the same time. It is also common to combine this surgery with a facelift. During the consultation process, you will define your wishes, with Patrick’s advice guiding you. Once you have agreed on the desired outcome, Patrick will provide you with a personal cost estimate.
The procedure
If only your upper eyelids require attention, then Patrick will perform this procedure under local anaesthetic in his clinic rooms (90 min). For both upper and lower eyelid surgery (3 hours), a general anaesthetic in hospital is usually required as the nature of the lower eyelid procedure would not be well tolerated with local anaestheic alone. You will be more comfortable spending the night in hospital. As with any medical procedure, there is a risk of complications. Patrick will discuss them in detail during your consultation.
Recovery after surgery
Swelling and bruising is common after surgery, the extent of which differs between patients. The bruising usually resolves in two weeks. You may have some residual puffiness around your eyelids for as long as eight weeks. You shouldn’t experience much discomfort following the procedure but if you have a tendency to dry eyes, this may be temporarily aggravated. Contact lenses are best avoided for a week. Patrick will arrange frequent follow-up after your operation to ensure optimal results.
You should allow for at least a week off work but probably two weeks if you work involves a lot of interaction with the public. You should sleep with your head elevated and plan a very quiet first post-op week. Avoid strenuous exercise for at least 3-4 weeks.
Blepharoplasty cost at
Patrick will always give you a personal cost estimate before any procedure is agreed on. If only your upper eyelids require work, you can expect a cost of $3,950. The procedure for both upper and lower eyelids (under general anaesthetic) costs about $18,700 which includes Patrick’s fee as the surgeon, as well as hospital and anaesthetic fees. If the lower eyelid procedure that you require is limited and can be undertaken with local anaesthetic only, then the cost of upper and lower eyelid surgery is usually about $6,180. If you and Patrick agree on a simultaneous facelift, this will incur additional cost.
