Icing Eyelid to Help Heal After Eyelid Surgery?

Thank you for your question.  We advise a recovery period, of 5 - 7 days, for an upper eyelids and two weeks for lower lids.  For patients who bruise easily, recovery may be slightly longer.  Cool whitchazel compresses (dampen cotton pads with whitchazel, cooled in the fridge), post surgery, are very helpful in reducing swelling and providing relief.  Sleep with your head elevated, for the first few nights, this will also aid in reducing swelling.  Best of Luck!

After eyelid surgery, rest, elevation of your head on pillows while sleeping, and ice will definitely speed your recovery. I recommend as much as possible for the first week, and I realize this can get very annoying quickly, but my patients who commit to this tend to recover more quickly. Stick with it as much as you can and be patient-- some patients simply take longer to heal than others, but in the end you should have a very nice result.

Congratulations on your surgery! Icing the surgical area does help with swelling, with the most effective time being the first few days after surgery.  Speak with your surgeon about how long to use the ice packs as opinions will vary.  Be sure that you use ice intermittently, not constantly.