Can cataract surgery of one eye be performed at the same time as an upper blepharoplasty?

Theoretically , upper blepharoplasty could be done at the same time as cataract removal. Many opthalmic surgeons routinely perform both procedures, but cataract surgery is not commonly performed by a plastic surgeon. None of the opthalmic surgeons that practice in my area perform the two procedures together. Cost can be a factor, as cataract surgery is commonly covered by insurance, while most upper blepharoplasty, except where a visual field defect is present, is considered elective, or cosmetic. If a cosmetic  procedure is performed in conjunction with a medically necessary one, the costs can often be prohibitive. Consult an opthalmoloic surgeon who performs both the procedures and follow their recommendations.

That is fancy language for saying that if anything bad happened, doing both surgeries together would be presumptive evidence of medical malpractice. Cataract surgery is highly reliable, safe but not without risks. For that reason, it is essential not to deviate from established best practices. That means no blepharoplasty with your cataract surgery. Have your cataract surgery, recover, and when you are ready, you can have your blepharoplasty.

Cataract surgery is not risk free and it is below the standard of care to perform both of these procedures at the same time. I know of no surgeons that would be willing to do this to someone. 
Best wishes with your cataract surgery!
Damon B. Chandler, MD
Harvard-Penn Trained Oculofacial Plastic Surgeon

  A cataract specialist and an eyelid  surgery specialist would be required in order to perform both of these together.  Always best to check with your ophthalmologist first, but is probably going to be better to separate these 2 procedures a month apart.

I understand that you would prefer to do both operations at the same time, but this may not always be the best option for either surgery. There are several potential issues with this. First, you will not find very many surgeons in this country who do quality intraocular surgery such as cataract surgery and also do quality cosmetic eyelid surgery. Most Oculoplastic surgeons, although Broad certified Ophthalmologists, don't perform cataract surgery in their practice and most haven't done cataract surgery since Ophthalmology residency. You would need two surgeons, both an Ophthalmologist and an Oculoplastic surgeon to work together. Yes they both can be done at the same sitting, but that brings me to my second concern. The block you would get behind your eye for the cataract surgery would make it difficult to evaluate your lid during surgery to make sure the height and curve are appropriate and would make the success rate lower. If the blepharoplasty were done first the sutures might rupture with the manipulation from cataract surgery and also liberate bacteria which might pose an increased risk for infection from the cataract surgery. You should ask your cataract surgeon if they work with any Oculoplastic surgeons. After you consult with them the  three of you can make an informed decision. I would advise against it.

Hi and thank you for reaching out for an opinion regarding whether to combine eyelid and cataract surgery. 
That is not a good idea, and you are unlikely to find a reputable ophthalmologist to do both at the same time. Ophthalmologists are the only type of surgeons that do cataract surgery. Many ophthalmologists do eyelid surgery as well, and Oculoplastic surgeons are ophthalmologists that specialize in eyelid surgery. So I’m sure you can find an Oculoplastic surgeon who does both eyelids and cataracts, but I’m sure they too would separate the two surgeries. 
Hope this helps. Best, Dr Pacheco