Will the Changed Weight of Eyelids After Blepharoplasty Affect Vision?

Question

I had blepharoplasty in September and they "touched it up" again in December. My vision has changed considerably so that I now need to wear contacts. Since the weight of the eyelids on my cornea has changed will that affect my vision? Does vision usually change after eye lid surgery.

Andrew Campbell, MD · Answer

Eyelid surgery should not directly change your vision, but I have personally seen patients whose vision has changed after blepharoplasty. I have no good explanation why this would be, other than the fact that the eyelid swelling can cause some swelling of the eyeball and even the cornea. In some patients, I have to assume that this swelling can permanently change their eyeball or cornea and effect their vision. Fortunately this is very uncommon and can be corrected with a new eyeglass or contact prescription.

Andrew C. Campbell, M.D.

Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon

Andrew C. Campbell, M.D.

Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon

Houtan Chaboki, MD · Answer

Hi JPM in Osage,

	Eyelid surgery should not decrease your vision. In fact, upper eyelid surgery is commonly performed to improve vision from "excess weight" and decreased visual field. It may be more likely that your vision has changed to issues unrelated to your surgery. Only after a comprehensive evaluation by a eye physician (ophthalmologist ) will he/she help determine appropriate options for you. Best of luck.

	Dr. Chaboki

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

JPM

	The answer is typically no the vision does not change with eyelid surgery.  However, this is occasionally seen.  However, it may not be caused by your eyelid surgery but rather you might have something unrelated going on that actually is accounting for the change in the vision.  One example is a condition called corneal ectasia where there is a slight bulge in the cornea.  As this slowly progresses, there can be fairly dramatic changes in the vision.  Early on this might be missed.  However, sophisticated corneal mapping can identify problems like this.  Of course other issues can cause a progressive change in vision.  I would recommend that you have your eyes assessed by a board certified ophthalmologist to determine what is causing your vision to change.

James Tang, MD · Answer

It is very unusual to experience permanent change in vision from eyelid surgery. Usually any change is temporary and usually due to swelling from the surgery itself. This should resolve within two to three weeks. Most patients do report seeing better and everything looking brighter after upper eyelid surgery. If you experience a significant change in your vision, I recommend consulting an ophthalmologist and getting your vision checked for a new prescription to your glasses or contact lenses.

Joseph A. Eviatar, MD, FACS · Answer

After blepharoplasty you can get some changes in your vision. It shouldn’t be extreme. Some of the changes may not be due to a change in the prescription, but due to dry eye and should get better. And the weight of the eyelid may effect the prescription to some degree.

Michael Vincent, MD · Answer

You may experience some temporary blurring of your vision or excess watering of your eyes after eyelid surgery in the first few weeks.  Typicallly, upper eyelid surgery(blepharoplasty) will not change your vision directly after the initial healing phase.  If anything, your upper peripheral vision may be better after surgery.  Blindness has been reported after eyelid surgery, but this is extraordinarily rare.  Inserting your contacts should be avoided for the first two weeks after eyelid surgery, but it should become easier after surgery.

	Michael Vincent, MD, FACS

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

A blepharoplasty should not have any effect on your vision.  Perhaps your vision has changed with age?

Cynthia Boxrud, MD · Answer

Dear JPM,

	There are many different kinds of vision, color, acuity, contrast and peripheral vision...etc.   When surgery is done on the eyelids it often improves the peripheral vision.

	There are cases where visual acuity changes but it is not the norm.  If this problem persists and you are wearing contact lens for your situation, you need to be evaluated by an ophthalmologist for further testing.  

	Thanks and good luck to you.

	Dr. Cynthia Boxrud

Lisa Lynn Sowder, MD (retired) - Account Suspended · Answer

It's common to have some blurry vision the first few days after eyelid surgery because of swelling or residual ointment we put in the eyes intraoperatively to protect them. If your lids were really weighted down, you may find that your upper field of vision is better because the "hood" has been raised. As far as eyelid surgery actually changing the acuity of your vision, I cannot see how eyelid surgery would change that. A lot of people have eyelid surgery in their 40's and it is the mid 40's where near vision changes (not for the better!) and most people need reading glasses. So if a 45 year old has eyelid surgery and a couple of months later needs reading glasses, it is not because of the surgery.

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