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.

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

Answers (5)