How Much Does Eyelid Surgery Cost?

The average cost of eyelid surgery is $6,085, according to cost data from 507 patient reviews. The price can range from just $2,126 for a simple procedure to as much as $15,000 for a more complex surgery.

Double eyelid surgery, which creates or deepens a crease in the upper lid, typically costs $5,205.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons puts the cost of blepharoplasty at $3,359 for upper eyelid surgery and $3,876 for a lower blepharoplasty. However, their data reflects only the surgeon’s fee and excludes anesthesia, operating room fees, and other related expenses, which can add hundreds or even thousands of dollars to your bill.

Cosmetic eyelid surgery (aka an eyelid lift or blepharoplasty surgery) tightens and repositions the skin and underlying tissues of the upper or lower eyelids. 

• An upper blepharoplasty can lift sagging skin, remove excess skin, and address hooding.
• Surgery on the lower lids can include repositioning the fat pads, restoring fat that’s been lost with age, or removing excess fat or under-eye bags, to make eyes look younger and more rested.
• A lower blepharoplasty is generally more involved and expensive, with a longer recovery time.

Read on to learn all the factors at play in eyelid surgery costs, including when it’s covered by health insurance.

What to look for in an eyelid surgery price quote

During your initial consultation with a prospective surgeon, you’ll discuss your concerns, your eye health (including history of dry eye, allergies, or glaucoma), and their recommendations for a personalized treatment plan.

They should send you home with a written total cost estimate that includes: 

• The consultation fee (typically applied to the cost of surgery)
• The surgeon’s fee
• Anesthesia fees
• Operating facility fees (if your procedure isn’t performed in-office)
• Surgical supply costs
• Pre-op medical tests
• Follow-up care
• Any recovery supplies, like prescription pain medication

Getting a written estimate in advance will help you avoid unpleasant surprises when the bill comes.

It’s also smart to ask about their policy on revision surgery costs, in case you’re not happy with your results or have a complication from this facial plastic surgery procedure.

What affects the cost of eyelid surgery?

These are the key factors that will determine your blepharoplasty cost.

1) Your surgeon’s credentials and level of experience

A surgeon’s experience and training will influence their fee, to an extent.

A blepharoplasty performed by a board-certified oculoplastic surgeon (a specialist in cosmetic and reconstructive eyelid surgery) will usually cost more than surgery done by a board-certified plastic surgeon or facial plastic surgeon.

Why the difference?

“The oculoplastic surgeon may be more experienced and capable of handling complex cases and complications,” says Harrison, New York, oculoplastic surgeon Dr. James Gordon. Because they specialize in eyelids, they perform many more blepharoplasties on average than their peers who also operate on other areas of the face and/or body.

When selecting your surgeon, pay close attention to their board certifications, along with their patient reviews and photo gallery. Prioritize experience over who quotes you the lowest price.

You only have one set of eyes. Complications can arise, so it’s important to make sure you’re in skilled hands.

2) Where your procedure is performed

If your surgeon practices in a city with a high cost of living or in a high-rent neighborhood, they’ll have to pass some of that overhead onto you in the form of higher fees.

The type of medical facility also matters, price-wise.

Most upper eyelid surgeries are performed in an office setting under local anesthesia, so you probably won’t have to pay a separate facility fee for this type of procedure.

A lower blepharoplasty is more complex, so it’s typically performed in a private surgical facility. While that will come with a fee, it’s much less than you’d pay to have it done in a hospital operating room. Just be sure to ask if the facility has been accredited and if they have hospital privileges nearby, in the event of an emergency.

If your procedure is covered by insurance, your insurance provider may require that your procedure is performed in a hospital operating room. In that case, the higher facility fee will likely be offset by insurance.

3) The complexity of your surgical procedure

As we’ve mentioned, lower eyelid surgery is more expensive than upper eyelid surgery.

That’s because a lower lid procedure is usually more complex and time-consuming. It may involve:

• removing excess skin and fat to eliminate under-eye bags
• fat grafting or repositioning the periorbital fat pads, to fill in under-eye hollows

The best surgeons are very careful not to remove too much fat, as this can leave the eyes sunken and older-looking. It’s also important not to add too much fat, which can create bags or puffiness.

Having both an upper and lower blepharoplasty procedure in one operation will have a higher total cost, but many surgeons offer a discounted price for each procedure, compared to what you’d pay to have them done separately.

4) Whether you also have a brow lift or other procedures

Depending on your goals, upper eyelid surgery may need to be accompanied by brow lift surgery, to reduce the appearance of heaviness and increase the longevity of your results. 

It can also be combined with a ptosis repair (to correct droopy eyelids and asymmetries), a canthoplasty (commonly called cat-eye lift surgery), a facelift, fat transfer, and/or skin resurfacing.

Adding on any of these procedures could add hundreds or thousands to the total cost of your eyelid surgery. That said, providers often give a discount for having multiple procedures at the same time, and the results of the right combination can make the entire face look more consistently youthful.

5) The type of anesthesia you have

It’s often helpful for upper blepharoplasty patients to be awake and cooperative during surgery (to ensure adequate eyelid height adjustment by moving your lids), so upper eyelid surgery is often done using local anesthesia with oral sedation. This can be administered by your surgeon or a trained member of their staff.

For a lower blepharoplasty, you’ll probably need IV sedation. This means you’ll also need to pay to have it administered by an anesthesia provider, who will monitor your vitals throughout the procedure. An anesthesiologist (an MD) will charge more for their services than a nurse anesthetist (CRNA), but some providers prefer them because of their advanced training.

General anesthesia, which adds more risk and cost, is generally not required for cosmetic eyelid surgery.

Is the cost of an eye lift worth it?

Eyelid surgery has a 93% Worth It Rating from patient reviews on RealSelf. So while some weren’t happy with their investment, a majority of reviewers think their results were worth the expense.

Those who rated their procedure “Worth It” say it gave them a more youthful appearance and made them look less tired.

Reviewers who say it was “Not Worth It” commonly complained about asymmetry and visible incision scars. One reviewer even reported nerve damage, which is usually temporary but can be more long-lasting or require surgical repair.

Correcting a bad result can be very difficult (especially if too much skin was removed), so it’s worth repeating the importance of choosing a well-trained, experienced surgeon.

Prioritize finding a board-certified facial plastic or oculoplastic surgeon who can show you an extensive photo gallery of their own patients with beautiful, natural-looking results. Also look for photos in patient reviews, so you don’t just see what the surgeon wants to show you.

If you want to avoid the expense and downtime of blepharoplasty surgery—and aren’t looking for a drastic change—you may want to consider these nonsurgical treatments that can subtly tighten the lids without removing extra skin:

• A skin resurfacing laser, like an erbium or carbon dioxide (CO2) laser, can reduce laxity and smooth fine lines and wrinkles.
• Thermage uses radiofrequency (RF) energy to tighten skin by a millimeter or two, and it’s commonly used in the eye area. 
• RF microneedling devices can be used on the lower lids to subtly tighten the skin and improve the look of mild under-eye bags. The firming effect won’t be as significant as that which can be achieved with a CO2 laser.
• Botox can be injected into the muscles that pull the eyebrows down, allowing the eyebrows to lift subtly. It can also smooth crow’s feet. Finding an experienced injector is key, since over-treatment or incorrect placement can lead to asymmetry or a droopy eyelid.
• In appropriate candidates, fillers can help camouflage under-eye hollows and revolumize the upper lids, but they do not tighten the skin and should never be used in patients who have pronounced eye bags or skin laxity.

All of these treatments can help improve the appearance of eyes, but they can’t match the dramatic, lasting results of surgery. You would also need multiple treatment sessions to provide visible and sustained results, which can get costly. 

Ultimately, only you and an experienced provider can determine which cosmetic procedure will be the most worth it for your goals and budget.

Will insurance pay for eyelid surgery?

Blepharoplasty for cosmetic reasons is typically not covered by insurance.

However, surgery to correct drooping upper eyelid skin (ptosis) that affects your vision is often covered by insurance. To be approved, you’ll need documentation from an oculoplastic surgeon or ophthalmologist that it’s medically necessary. This may include the results of a visual field test. 

Ptosis surgery involves repositioning the underlying muscles to lift the upper lid, so it rests higher on the surface of the eye. It can be performed at the same time as cosmetic eyelid surgery. 

If you’re a good candidate for both ptosis and cosmetic surgery, your insurance coverage could offset some of the cost of both. Ask for an estimate of coverage before you book, so you can budget for what you’ll need to pay out of pocket.

Can you finance blepharoplasty surgery?

Most practices offer monthly payment plans or accept third-party financing options.

For example, the CareCredit credit card is widely accepted by providers across the U.S., for both plastic surgery and nonsurgical procedures.

Eyelid surgery costs in U.S. states

Browse average eyelid surgery costs and ranges by state, according to the 809 most recent RealSelf reviews as of March 2023. (Note: States not included don't have enough recent data to display.)

Eyelid surgery costs in major U.S. metros