What do driving a car, working on a computer, cooking your favorite dinner, and watching a TV show have in common? Well, other than sounding like a typical day in the life for many Americans, all of these activities use your eyes. Our eyes are a vital part of how we sense things in the world around us. Not only do eyes supply one of the five major senses, but they also play a part in other senses. This role gives them a truly unique job.
Caring for your eyes isn’t always a one-size-fits-all approach. You might have blurry vision when reading or have a hard time seeing close-up or far-away objects. Glasses or contacts can help your eyes function in these cases.
What if your eyelids begin to give you problems and interfere with your sight? Maybe your lids have started to droop and make seeing out of the corners of your eyes difficult. It’s also possible for your eyelids to develop fat pockets that can cause puffy, bruised, or tired-looking eyes.
Whatever the case, your eyes might benefit from a cosmetic procedure like blepharoplasty. You can focus on your upper lids for a lifted look or make your lower lids a priority to help refresh your face.
Before Your Blepharoplasty
Preparing for your body and home before blepharoplasty can help ease your anxiety and worry leading up to your surgery. Stock your recovery zone (bedroom, living room, etc.) with things you might need. Having lots of healthy food and pre-planned meals on hand can make the first few days much easier.
You’ll get a list of instructions from your surgeon. Read them through before your surgery and keep them within reach while you’re healing. These instructions are the key to a quick and smooth recovery.
Blepharoplasty Recovery Timeline
You can expect your eyelids to be bruised and swollen after blepharoplasty. The worst of these effects should taper off after a week or so, but it’s normal for your eyelids to be slightly swollen, red, or bruised even three weeks post-op.
Your eyes should feel better after a week. Try to rest your eyes and not stress them with overuse through the ten-day post-op mark. If you’ve had blurry vision after surgery, it will begin to clear up at this point–if it hasn’t already. Once you reach ten days and your vision is normal, you can go back to work (with your surgeon’s approval).
Two to three weeks into your recovery, you might still see swelling and bruising, but it shouldn’t be nearly as much as you had immediately after your blepharoplasty. You can start applying light makeup to your eyes to cover any signs of surgery.
Once you hit the six-week mark, you’re likely fully healed. Your results are visible, and you don’t have to worry if your exercise routine is too intense or not. You can go back to all your regular hobbies and routines.
5 Tips For 3 Weeks Post-Blepharoplasty
1. Take Care Of Your Healing Incisions
Don’t neglect your incisions once they start to heal. At three weeks, you can still expose your eyes to germs by rubbing and touching them. Cleaning your eyes twice daily (or as often as your surgeon recommends) is a great way to keep them healthy.
2. Don’t Overdo Your Exercises
If your blood pressure gets too high while you’re healing, you might have worse side effects like bruising and swelling. Doing too much too soon can also slow your overall healing time. Short walks are a great place to start for the first several weeks of your recovery.
3. Elevate Your Head
Get yourself a couple of fluffy pillows and shape them into the perfect haven for your upper body. Sleeping with your head elevated after blepharoplasty can help keep your swelling minimal and get your eyes back to normal faster.
4. Use Sunscreen
You should shield your eyelids from the sun while they’re healing. Wear sunscreen and pair it with sunglasses to help keep your eyes safe. These steps will also help your incision scars heal well.
5. Continue To Let Your Eyes Rest
The most important thing you can do during your recovery is give your eyes plenty of rest. When your eyes feel tired, you can take a nap or put on a pair of headphones and listen to an audiobook, podcast, or your favorite album. Anything that lets your eyes relax for a while will help you heal quickly.
Conclusion
Once you’re three weeks into recovering from blepharoplasty, you should be well on your way to seeing your results. Your surgeon’s instructions and the five simple steps above can help you get through the remaining weeks of your recovery without any problems.
