EYELID SURGERY The eyes are the focal point of the face and contribute substantially to your overall facial appearance. Bags beneath the eyes, wrinkled drooping layers of skin on the eyelids, and sagging eyebrows give the entire face a perpetually tired or sad expression. Aesthetic eyelid surgery can brighten the face and restore a more youthful appearance by reducing the fat and extra skin that cause these conditions. Blepharoplasty is often performed along with a facelift or with other facial rejuvenating procedures. The surgeon may operate on the upper and lower eyelids as necessary, removing excess skin as well as collections of fat under the skin that create puffiness and bagginess of the eyelids. Sometimes the problem is aggravated by sagging of the eyebrows, and this may require correction with a brow lift (described on page 12). Because eyelid skin is thin, you should expect some swelling and black-and-blue discoloration after surgery. Your eyes may be temporarily sensitive to light and susceptible to excess tearing or dryness. You may want to wear dark glasses for a couple of weeks to protect your eyes from wind and sun irritation and avoid eye strain from prolonged reading or television viewing. You will be able to resume wearing makeup and contact lenses shortly after your surgery. Within a few weeks, the thin surgical scars will become less visible and gradually blend into your eyes' natural lines and folds. Blepharoplasty patient shown before surgery with bags under eyes and wrinkled folds of skin hooding eyelashes on upper lid Incisions following natural contour lines in upper and lower lids provide access to skin and fatty tissue. In some cases, excess fat may be removed through an incision placed inside the lower eyelid. Sutures close the incisions, leaving hairline that soon fades. The postoperative patient with unobstructed upper eyelids and firmer, smoother skin under the eyes.