Wearing Contact Lenses After Blepharoplasty

Question

How long does it usually take for a patient to be able to wear contact lenses after upper and lower Blepharoplasty?

Sanjay Grover, MD, FACS · Answer

Many patients can wear contact lenses after 3 or 4 weeks following upper and lower blepharoplasty. Some paitents, however, may have some dry eyes or chemosis following blepharoplasty and should wait until this seems to be resolved. Care should be taken if a canthopexy or canthoplasty of the lower eyelid was performed as this may disrupt or effect the result.

Michael A. Persky, MD · Answer

Hi Laila,
Patients are allowed to wear their contact lenses about 5 days after their upper and lower eye lid surgery (blepharoplasty).  You should consult with your surgeon for their preference.  Good luck and be well.
Dr. P

Julian De Silva, MD · Answer

I generally recommend that patients refrain from wearing contacts
for between one to two weeks depending the type of blepharoplasty they have
undergone. This is a safety measure to ensure that the eye does not become
irritated and is recommended because putting in the lenses often involves
pulling on the bottom of the eyelid. In the meantime, you will be able to wear
your eyeglasses as a substitute for contact lenses to correct your vision.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

In our office It is recommended that patients do not wear contact lenses for the first ten days after an upper and/ or lower blepharoplasty surgery.

Robert M. Freund, MD · Answer

1. Do not put anything into your eyes unless your doctor says O.K.
2. Put your contact lens in your eye by pulling up your eyelid, not pulling down the lower eyelid.
3. The swelling of the eyelids after blepharoplasty can distort your eye temporarily and make fitting your contacts difficult for a time, so do not push it unless they go in easily.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

I tell my patients to wait about 3 weeks if there are no issues after the blepharoplasty. If they complain of some dry eye or have injected sclera, I have them wait a bit longer.

William B. Rosenblatt, MD · Answer

I allow my patients to put in contacts right after I see them in the first post operative visit which is 3 to 5 days post op. At that visit, I remove all of their sutures and check for problems. If there are none, they can put in the contacts. If their eyes are dry, they may have to use more wetting solution. If there is a lot of swelling, we hold off another week. Eyelids heal so quickly, I have had no problems with a rapid return to contact use.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD · Answer

It depends on the surgery and your condition before surgery. Patients with history of dry eye and sensitive eyes my wait longer. Most of my patients start wearing contact lenses after 4 weeks , but check with your doctor .

Brooke R. Seckel, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

Laila,
There is no one correct answer to your question.
However, I ask my patients to wait six weeks after blepharoplasty before wearing their contact lenses. This assumes the eyes have recovered, close well and are not dry.
I wait because I do not want manipulation of the eyelid to put the lenses into the eye to interefere with healing.
If your eyes are still dry and require drops at 6 weeks, I would wait until you no longer need to use drops before putting your contact lenses back in.
This is a conservative approach-some patients find they can use their contact lenses within 3 weeks after blepharoplasty. however i think it is better to be prepared for the longer period.
Just plan on wearing your external glasses during recovery.

Wearing Contact Lenses After Blepharoplasty

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