Eyelid surgery removes excess fat, skin, and muscle to correct drooping upper eyelids, wrinkles, and puffy bags, and to downsize large folds that can obstruct vision. A outpatient procedure, blepharoplasty lasts between 1 and 3 hours under local anesthesia with sedation, or occasionally general anesthesia. If used to correct visual field defects, upper eyelid surgery may be covered under some health insurance policies.

Possible risks of eyelid surgery can include temporary blurred or double vision, infection, bleeding, swelling at the corners of the eyelids, formation of whiteheads, a slight asymmetry in healing or scarring, difficulty in closing the eyes completely (rarely permanent), a downward pull to the lower lids (which may require further surgery), or blindness (extremely rare). If you're considering eyelid surgery, it's important to discuss the procedure carefully with your plastic surgeon to ensure the best options for your needs, expectations, and goals.