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Preparing for and Recovering from Surgery
Information before your consultation and on the day of surgery, including post-operative care
Eyelid surgery
Preparing for eyelid surgery
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Arranging a consultation for eyelid surgery is simple and uncomplicated. Please come and see the doctor so that your eyelid type, or the cause of your droopy eyelid, can be diagnosed. If surgery is needed, the doctor will recommend the most suitable method and whether the eyelid muscle also needs to be operated on. For under-eye bags, the doctor will assess whether, in addition to removing and repositioning fat, the under-eye tissue needs to be lifted or your own fat added.
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On the day of your consultation, please tell the doctor about the medicines you take and any underlying conditions, so that your surgery can be planned properly.
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If you have diabetes, it must be well controlled before the day of surgery. People with diabetes are more likely to have wound infections and slower wound healing than other people, so blood sugar should be kept within the target range for at least 3 months before surgery to get a good result.
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If you have high blood pressure, please tell the doctor and the nurse. Very high blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease or stroke during surgery, causes heavier bleeding, and makes the wound swell and bruise for longer after surgery. We recommend keeping your blood pressure at about 120/80 mmHg before surgery.
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Surgery is usually done under local anesthesia, without general anesthesia, so you can eat normally. However, please avoid alcohol both before and after surgery, because it directly affects wound healing and swelling.
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Medicines to stop before surgery are blood-thinning medicines and medicines that slow blood clotting, as well as some supplements such as vitamin E, ginkgo, ginseng and fish oil, which make the blood clot more slowly. These should be stopped about 1 week before surgery.
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If your eyelid has drooped as you have grown older, please bring clear photos of yourself when you were younger, in which your eyes can be seen clearly, to help with the diagnosis.
Preparing for the day of eyelid surgery
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Please arrive at the clinic at least 1 hour before your scheduled time, as paperwork must be completed first. You must be accompanied by someone, so that you are well cared for after surgery.
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Do not drive or travel home by yourself. A relative or friend should come to look after you.
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If you do not have general anesthesia, you can eat and take your regular medicines as usual, except those the doctor has told you to stop before surgery.
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Please do not wear makeup. You may apply skin moisturizer and sunscreen.
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Please leave valuables with a relative, or keep them in the locker provided at the clinic.
Care after eyelid surgery
Food
You can eat all kinds of food as usual, but avoid salty foods such as fish, fermented fish (pla ra), salty dipping sauces and seafood, as they can cause swelling around the eyes.
Preventing swelling and bruising
After surgery, the doctor will help prevent swelling and bruising by:
1. Bandaging the eyelids. The eyelids are bandaged for the first 24 hours. If both sides are operated on, the eyes will be covered tightly and you will not be able to see, so you cannot drive or travel by yourself. Please have a relative take you to and from the clinic.
2. Cold compresses and sleeping with your head raised about 30 degrees. This helps the swelling go down faster. Apply cold compresses for 72 hours after surgery: 20 minutes on, then 20 minutes of rest, then repeat. You can use crushed ice in a plastic bag, or a hot/cold pack kept in the freezer, wrapped in a clean cloth and placed over the wound.
3. Warm compresses. These can be done after the first 72 hours. Apply warm compresses to the eyelids continuously, only 4 times a day, about 10-15 minutes each time.
The stitches will be removed 5-7 days after surgery. The wound will gradually settle and the swelling will go down, and it will look natural within about 1 month.
Wound care and stitch removal
The dressing is opened 24 hours after surgery to remove the tight bandage and the inner dressing. Clean the wound with the saline provided, wipe away dried blood around the wound, and apply the antibiotic ointment provided. Do this morning and evening, after bathing.
Other general advice
1. Sleep with your head raised for 48 hours to reduce swelling.
2. Keep the wound dry for 5-7 days, until the stitches are removed, and apply the antibiotic ointment to the wound to prevent infection. Clean your face by wiping it with a clean, damp cloth, taking care not to touch the surgical wound. You do not need to come in for dressing changes or cover the wound with a bandage.
3. If you have pain, take only paracetamol. Do not take aspirin-type painkillers, as they can increase bleeding.
4. Avoid very dusty places, as they may make the wound unclean.
Return to see the doctor immediately if you have any of the following: severe eye pain, difficulty opening the eye, reduced vision or double vision; sudden increase in swelling and redness of the surgical wound, pus draining from the eye, or fever; fresh blood coming from the wound soon after surgery. Contact the clinic: 093-270-5000.
