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| Eyelid Surgery: Risks |
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As with any surgery, blepharoplasty carries a very small risk of infection, generally less than 1 percent. There is a similar risk of bleeding severe enough to require more surgery. There also is a small chance that the incision scar in the upper eyelid will be visible.
If the surgeon removes too much skin underneath the eye or there is excessive scarring inside the lower lid, you may develop an "ectropion" - a pulling down of the lower lids, creating a basset-hound appearance. An ectropion may disappear as the swelling goes down. If the condition
persists, you may need corrective surgery.
Your plastic surgeon should be able to determine before surgery whether you are likely to develop an ectropion afterward. If so, a lid-tightening procedure called canthopexy can be performed to prevent it. Ten to 20 percent of blepharoplasty patients require a canthopexy, which shortens the lower lid horizontally. This procedure is increasing in popularity. The procedure has the additional benefit of improving the flow of tears through the duct system.
Blepharoplasty is a delicate procedure that, if mishandled, can result in vision loss. Studies published in the 1970s found the rate of blindness as a result of blepharoplasty was 4 in 10,000. Techniques have improved dramatically since then, and the risk is probably much lower today.
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