8 Preparation tips to follow before undergoing blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery

If you’ve been having problems with your vision due to excess skin on your eyelids or if you just don’t like how you appear with them, blepharoplasty is one of the ways Science wants you to take.

Blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery is the solution sought by people who suffer from hindered vision obstructed by stubborn eye skin, by those who want to look younger than their age and by those who want to get rid of those luggage under their eyes.

If you’re into the challenge (calling it so since surgeries are usually considered risky) and if you’re about to undergo blepharoplasty anytime soon, then you must be well-informed about the vital actions that you should do as a preparation. Even if you go to expert surgeons and medical centres and even if there’s anesthesia and other special features provided by the centre’s treatment for a safe and successful operation, still blepharoplasty is a kind of surgery which will have a long-term effect on you. Being ready is very necessary!

Here are 8 tips on preparing for blepharoplasty:

1. Examinations

Before undergoing any kind of operation, the first thing anyone must do is to know if he/she is allowed for it. It’s like knowing if you’re allowed to do a certain kind of heavy exercise if you’re onto a serious workout. You have to undergo certain body examinations, most specially on your eyes.

For your eyes, you have to be very sure that they get properly assessed because if not, you might undergo the surgery, not knowing that you may not do so. Since the eyes are very sensitive and are crucial organs for the sense of sight, your vision will be checked for some possible problems or to compare how it is before and after the procedure. Through an eye examination, your eyes will be scrutinize whether you are at risk or currently having any disease concentrated on the eyes or related to them. You cannot be permitted if there are certain irregularities as pursuing might worsen the condition and lead to complications.

Examinations must also be done to guarantee that your overall health is fit for the operation and its effects. Medical history might be requested to make sure that there are no previous ailments which can be triggered by the procedures or any surgery done before which might be affected.

2. Halt Vices

Vices that include drinking alcohol and smoking must be stopped for a long time before and even after you undergo blepharoplasty. Cigarettes and the smoke they produce contain toxins which are very dangerous to the body. Those toxins impede your body’s ability to properly recover at the expected time. Smokers are also not ensured by anesthesia as the substance itself might not be safe for them due to possible physiological mutations.

Smokers are likely to experience many complications such as pneumonia. They might have difficulty in breathing, acquire heart disorders or worst, a cardiac arrest during or after the blepharoplasty. It’s because the harmful chemicals included in cigarettes are blood flow disruptors.

3. Let the people know

After undergoing blepharoplasty, you cannot do a lot of things. You must keep yourself unstressed and comfortable, away from hard work and many errands. If you want to recover immediately, don’t be hard-headed. Let someone else do your work at home. Inform them beforehand, far from the schedule of the surgery so that your family and other companions at home will know that they must be responsible for the things you usually do.

Also, see to it that someone’s with you at the hospital or clinic during and after the surgery because you won’t be able to go home alone, and you won’t be able to drive. If you’re alone however, make certain that you’ve already booked a vehicle to bring you home. You’ll be needing a lot of attention and assistance from your family and loved ones, so let them know how it’s going to be after you undergo blepharoplasty.    

4. Pause medicine intake

Not all but few medicines you are consuming might lead to bleeding or other interactions due to surgery, anesthesia and post-op medications used. These could be both chemical medicines and organic ones. Your blood can go thin, and bruises might be found on your body. Medicines such as aspirin is helpful to relieve pain and to prevent stroke, but for surgery, that help has no bearing because it can cause severe internal bleeding. As you know or not know, bleeding during surgery is a very bad sign.

5. Fast on food and drink

Anesthesia is applied to a blepharoplasty patient. One of the important doctor-prescribed actions is to fast on food for 8 to 12 hours (or as instructed specifically) before undergoing surgery. Fast on fast food, homemade food, snacks — totally! Why? It’s because of the possibility of experiencing aspiration while under anesthesia. What’s that? It’s when you eat something, and it feels like it went down the wrong way. It may lead to coughing or vomiting. You might also get nauseated if you eat [a lot] then take in anesthesia. Worst cases result to death during an operation.

6. Cosmetics off

You’re not required to look good during blepharoplasty because most likely, you will not look good while undergoing that surgery. Makeup and other facial balms are not allowed to be applied on while going through the procedure because if ever the surgeon has to draw dots or dashes on your face using a black marker to trace the path to be operated on, your skin might resist it.

More importantly, your skin is the only way for the surgeon to communicate with you non-verbally because your body’s reaction will manifest through it. If you put makeup on your face, it’ll be difficult for the surgeon to monitor how your body is going. Negative reactions might not be easily detected because one of the functions of makeup is to hide flaws and the natural skin under it.

7. Calm before the surgery

Before the eyelid surgery, you must be very prepared in all aspects, especially mentally and emotionally. Don’t be too stressed about the procedure and the outcome. Stay positive, and keep yourself away from stress and stressors. Your eyes may not be everywhere on and in your body, but they are used all the time. They’re never passive but always busy functioning.

Make sure that you keep your eyes rested and relaxed before the surgery day. They must not be tensed and tired. Have adequate and proper sleep.

Conclusion

Blepharoplasty sounds basic since eyelids don’t seem as precious as other body parts you have, however, it’s just like other kinds of surgery out there. It is very beneficial and impressive, but it also is risky, thus, you have to know the right things to do to prepare for it. Consult your doctor or a skin expert to know all the right and the wrong deeds before it. Be extra careful and concerned about yourself before and after blepharoplasty.