Are You Awake During Blepharoplasty Surgery?

Blepharoplasty or an Eyelid Lift, both upper and lower can be performed awake or asleep depending upon your comfort and the comfort of your surgeon.  Local anesthesia combined with topical and oral medication to decrease pain and increase relaxation, can provide a comfortable experience for patients who want to avoid going completely asleep with anesthesia.    I routinely perform these procedures in this way; "local with  oral sedation".   Alternatively, if a patient is extremely anxious or nervous about the procedure, it can be done with intravenous sedation or twilight anesthesia under the care of an anesthesiologist.   This is akin to the kind of anesthesia you get for colonoscopy.   In some medical circumstances, like asthma, reflux or obesity, general anesthesia may be the preferred method of anesthesia for these surgeries. 

Upper eyelid blepharoplasty is commonly done using just a local anesthesia injection. You're totally awake in this case. Some patients prefer more sedation which is certainly an option as well if you choose. Lower eyelid blepharoplasty is usually done with more anesthesia but this depends on what if being done exactly.