Blepharoplasty is surgery to improve the appearance of the eyelid. This is usually an outpatient procedure performed under local anesthesia. The goal of this surgery is to remove excess eyelid skin and bulging fat pockets and to tighten underlying muscles.

Blepharoplasty provides both cosmetic and functional improvement with minimal risk of serious problems. Most patients can expect to look younger and often have an improved visual field.

The eyes are usually the first thing people notice about your face. Over time, the upper or lower eyelids may become “baggy” because eyelid skin stretches, muscles weaken, and fat pockets bulge forward from behind the eyes. The eyebrows may also droop as part of the same aging process.

These may result in a tired or older appearance. When severe, these processes may also obstruct the upper visual field and interfere with wearing of glasses.

In the upper eyelid, typically the incision begins within the natural crease of the eye’s inside corner and extends slightly beyond the outside corner into the crow’s feet or laugh lines. Through this incision, excess skin and fatty tissue are removed. The incision line follows the natural contour of the upper eyelid, and is camouflaged when healed. This can also be done using laser technology.

In the lower eyelid, sometimes only the bulging fat may need to be removed. When skin is removed, incisions are placed within natural folds so that they are virtually unnoticeable after healing. When only fat is excised, the incision can be placed behind the eyelid as a "transconjunctival blepharoplasty" with no skin incisions at all.

When the eyebrows are droopy, it is usually best to repair these in conjunction with a standard blepharoplasty. This can be achieved through incisions along the eyebrow hairs, or when the forehead also needs to be elevated, through various other forehead or scalp incisions.