Before deciding to go forward with cosmetic eyelid surgery, or any elective surgery for that matter, it’s essential to be aware of the risks that can accompany the procedure.  Knowing about the potential complications of the procedure will help you to decide whether or not cosmetic eyelid surgery is the right treatment for your needs.

Your surgeon will fully explain all potential complications in detail before you agree to the procedure and sign the required consent forms but it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with possible risks before moving forward.

Potential Complications or Risks

Risks that can accompany an eyelid surgery include dry eyes, temporarily blurred or impaired vision, loss of sight and difficulty closing the eyes. Other eyelid disorders are also a possibility and include conditions like lid lag, a concern in which the appearance of a temporary “pulled down” lower eyelid exists. Other conditions may be the outward rolling of the eyelid, abnormal eyelid positioning and eyelid laxness or skin looseness.

In some cases it may be necessary for patients to undergo surgery that corrects side effects caused by the initial eyelid surgery procedure. For example, sutures can spontaneously surface and cause irritation, requiring removal by your surgeon. Infection (and poor wound healing), fluid accumulation, bleeding, scarring, blood clotting and complications involving cardiac, pulmonary and vein function are also possible as are pain, skin discolouration and swelling that can persist for some time following surgery. Risks related to the administration of anaesthetic also exist. Such can cause numbness or changes in skin sensation.

Fibrin sealants, used to minimize post-operative bruising and to hold tissue layers together during surgery, are made from heat-treated human blood components and are carefully screened before use. Patients should be aware that, although fibrin sealants are taken from donors, they have been safely used for years and are checked to ensure that viruses, such as HIV and hepatitis, cannot be transmitted as a surgical side-effect.