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Home Patients' Zone Patient Leaflets Eyelid Surgery

Eyelid Surgery

Ptosis, entropion, ectropion and lid lumps

Eyelid operations correct drooping lids, lids that turn in or out, excess skin that blocks vision, and lumps on the eyelid. Most are done under local anaesthetic as day surgery, and most people are back to normal activities within one to two weeks.

Common eyelid problems

  • Ptosis: a drooping upper lid, usually from stretching of the lifting muscle with age or contact lens wear; sometimes present from birth, or a sign of a nerve or muscle condition.
  • Dermatochalasis: excess upper lid skin that hangs over the lashes; corrected by blepharoplasty.
  • Entropion: the lid turns in and lashes rub the eye, causing irritation and possible corneal damage.
  • Ectropion: the lower lid sags outwards, causing watering, redness and dryness.
  • Lid lumps: chalazion, cysts, skin tags and occasionally skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma, which need removal and testing.

On the day

  1. Tell us about blood thinners in advance; some may need to be paused, but only on the advice of the doctor who prescribed them.
  2. The lid is numbed with a small injection.
  3. The operation takes 20 to 60 minutes. You may feel pulling but no pain.
  4. A pad or ointment is applied, and you go home the same day with someone to accompany you.

After surgery

  • Bruising and swelling are normal and peak at 2 to 3 days. Cold compresses (a clean cloth over a cold pack) for 10 minutes several times a day in the first 48 hours help.
  • Sleep with your head raised on extra pillows for a few nights.
  • Apply antibiotic ointment to the stitches as advised; stitches are removed after about a week.
  • Avoid heavy lifting, bending, swimming and eye makeup for 2 weeks.
  • Final lid height and shape settle over 6 to 8 weeks.

Contact us urgently if

  • Severe pain, bleeding that does not stop, or rapidly increasing swelling
  • Loss of vision
  • Signs of infection: increasing redness, heat, discharge or fever

Frequently asked questions

Will there be a visible scar?

Upper lid cuts are hidden in the natural lid crease and usually fade to a faint line within a few months.

Is ptosis surgery covered by insurance?

When drooping blocks vision it is usually treated as a medical need; purely cosmetic surgery often is not. Check with your insurer.

When can I go back to work?

Most people return to desk work within a week; bruising may take 2 weeks to fade.

Why does a lid lump need to be sent to the laboratory?

Most lumps are harmless, but testing confirms that a lump is not a skin cancer.

Related: Oculoplasty Treatment Ahmedabad, Chalazion (Eyelid Lump), Facial Nerve Palsy and Blepharospasm: Protecting the Eye.

This leaflet gives general information and does not replace advice from your own eye doctor. Reviewed by Dr. Dhaval Patel, MD (Ophthalmology, AIIMS New Delhi), November 2026.

Questions about this?

Sadbhaav Eye & Dental Clinic, Motera, Ahmedabad. Dr. Dhaval Patel, MD (AIIMS New Delhi). Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 1 pm and 5 pm to 8 pm. For a serious eye injury outside clinic hours, go to the nearest eye hospital or emergency department.

+91 70169 12180

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