Dry eye after ptosis surgery

Question

I got my ptosis surgery about one month ago, recently I notice my eye become dry, red and hard to close. How long will this dry eye last and will it affect surgery result?

Katherine Zamecki, MD, FACS · Answer

Dry eye after ptosis surgery is quite common. The severity of dryness post-operatively will be influenced by how much dryness there was pre-operatively and how much more open your eyes are after surgery. Your surgeon should have assessed your dry eye symptoms and exam pre-operatively and counseled you accordingly. Dryness after ptosis surgery may last weeks to months. You should be aggressively lubricating the eyes with aritifial tears and using a gel drops or gel in the evenings. If this is not enough, you may require a mild topical steroid drop by prescription. If you are using artificial tears very often, they should be the preservative-free type. The eyelids will feel less stiff with time. Dry eye affects mainly the comfort of the eyes and the quality of the vision. It will not affect the outcome of the ptosis surgery. Good luck!

Bernard Kopchinski, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question. I would recommend scheduling an appointment with you Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. It is best to be evaluated in person. Good Luck.

Dry eye after ptosis surgery

Answers (2)