Blood in eye after lower blepharoplasty. Any suggestions? (photos)

Question

I recently had surgery to have the bags removed from below my eyes. I think the procedure is blepharoplasty. The doctor made an incision just below my eyes and sucked the fat out. Everything seemed fine until abut 1 or 2 days after surgery when blood appeared in my right eye as you can see in the photo. The doctor told me that this doesn't happen to everyone but it is normal and should go away within a month. I would like to get other opinions to confirm this. It has only been 5 days so far.

David S. Felder, MD · Answer

Reece,As previously stated, this is a subconjunctival hemorrhage and may occur after blepharoplasty. It looks bad but resolve without  sequelae. It will take a few weeks and there is really nothing to do but let nature take its course.

Earl Stephenson, Jr., MD, DDS, MBA · Answer

Thank you for your picture. This is a normal occurrence after a transconjunctival blepharoplasty for a subcillary approach to perform a blepharoplasty. This is call a subconjunctival hemorrhage which equates to a bruise that is lighter due it's excellent oxygenation. Unlike a typical bruise that is darker purple due to its slightly reduced oxygenation. The long and short of it is, this will improve over the next several weeks. Good luck.

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

This is a subconjunctival hemorrhage and it is very common after eyelid surgery.  This gets better on its own without intervention.  Generally it is associated with swelling and can lead to chemosis, a technical name for conjunctival swelling.  The use of artificial tears and ointment keeps this from drying out and speeds resolution.  Ask your surgeon if this would be right for you.

John J. Martin, Jr., MD · Answer

This can occur after any eyelid surgery.  Some blood tracks up under the conjunctiva.  Looks bad but will not affect your result.  Nothing to make it go away - will take 10-14 days ususlly

James R. Gordon, MD, FACS, FAAO · Answer

Thank you for sharing your question and photo. It is not a problem to get a conjunctival hemorrhage following blepharoplasty. It will mostly clear up in 2 weeks with no issues. Although these type of hemorrhages are alarming to see, they cause no negative effects. I hope you find this helpful.

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

I would agree with your surgeon that it is possible to get blood in the eye after a lower blepharoplasty, but this does not occur with most people.  It should resolve by itself over time and I would say it is usually gone before a month.  There should be no problems with your eye, other than the red color, which should go away completely.

Ira Vidor, MD · Answer

Hi. As stated by other physicians, you appear to have a subconjunctival hemorrhage (basically a bruise underneath the clear lining of the eye). The blood will typically resorb over a few days to a few weeks. It generally does not affect the outcome of surgery. Hope this helps, Best regards, Ira Vidor, M.D.

John Dean, MD · Answer

Bruising in that area looks red because the blood that has spilled is still being oxygenated through the thin layer of conjunctiva over it.  I will go away, like any bruise, with time.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

Seek immediate visit to ER or your doctor for evaluation for peace of mind. Usually tis is very self limiting. But best to be examined.....>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Blood in eye after lower blepharoplasty. Any suggestions? (photos)

Answers (9)