What does the post-treatment look like? | Operate drooping eyelids? – You should know that!

What does the post-treatment look like?

• In the first few days after surgery on drooping eyelids, regular cooling of the affected areas is necessary. If necessary, a mild painkiller such as Ibuprofen® can be taken for a few days. This is usually prescribed or given by the surgeon.
• In order to minimize bleeding at the operated area, a pressure bandage is also applied.

  This is changed regularly as part of early wound control and can be replaced with normal plasters after a few days, depending on how the wound develops.

• It also helps to sleep with a slightly raised upper body in the first days after the operation and not to lie down completely flat. This way less fluid gets into the affected area, so that the eyes swell more quickly.
• You should also avoid sports and other physical activities for a few days. It is also advisable to keep the operated eyelids dry until the stitches are pulled (after about a week) or to dry them as soon as possible when washing your face or showering.
• If necessary, scar ointments or cortisone ointments are also used in post-treatment. The active ingredients penetrate into the tissue of the eyelid and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

What are the risks of the surgery?

• With regard to the risks of surgery on the drooping eyelids, the first thing to point out is the general risks of any surgical procedure: There may be reactions to the anesthetic used as well as to the suture material and the patch. These reactions are usually allergic in nature and range from local skin sensitivities to redness, swelling and blistering to severe allergic shock.
• The surgical procedure itself can cause swelling of the operated area, especially within the first few days after the operation. Bleeding and bruising are also common in the first few days after surgery.
• Since surgery on drooping eyelids is an invasive procedure, infections of the eyelid or orbit may also occur.

  Due to the anatomical proximity to the paranasal sinuses and the brain, an infection can spread to these structures and further consequences can be expected.

• In rare cases, the operation can lead to a deterioration of vision. In addition, structures of the eye can be injured, which can also cause a deterioration of vision up to blindness of the affected eye (in rare cases).
• An operation on the drooping eyelids does not always guarantee a perfect result of the eyelid. In most cases, the fine scar can be placed within a natural eyelid crease, so that there are no esthetic limitations.

  However, wound healing disorders and pronounced scarring can lead to visible scar tissue and functional limitations such as hardening of the eyelid.

The scars from surgery on drooping eyelids are ideally located in the natural eyelid folds. Therefore, at the beginning of the operation an incision in one of the naturally occurring wrinkles is aimed for.Through this incision, tissue can then be removed from the eyelid. The suture is then also located in the eyelid crease, so that the resulting scar is hardly noticeable. However, it can, for example, lead to excessive scarring, which is noticeable through excess tissue in the area of the eyelid.