Will I be able to drive in 3-4 days after a Blepharoplasty?

As surgeons, we often soft sell the nature of recovery to increase the likelihood that you as the potential patient will agree to have surgery.  6 days off from work might be ok if you have surgery on a Friday and actually return to work 9 days later, missing 6 work days.  If you have a sedentary job where you work at the computer terminal and telephone and are not encountering the public, sure it is possible that you can be doing your job sooner than this.  Be aware if you public face is important, it is generally a couple of weeks even with make up before people stop asking what you just had done.  Regarding driving, this is very individual.  Three days after surgery, you may feel comfortable driving to the store.  However, a 1 hour commute on the freeway in rush hour is not recommended.  For that type of very demanding driving, it could be a week or more before you feel comfortable. Your personal comfort is the key.  If you don't feel ready, don't drive.  It really does not matter what the surgeon tells you about when you are ready to drive.  I think you have been given the rosy scenario.  Take it with a grain of salt. 

All of my patients are instructed to
take 1 full week off after any type of cosmetic surgery before returning to work or
normal daily activities. You should have
no trouble seeing clearly enough to drive after 3 days but depending on your pain medication and how you are feeling you may want to hold off.  It is
imperative that you don’t rush to return to work or over-exert yourself as this
can affect your results.  Be patient.  Keep in mind
that every patient heals differently, which is probably why you are reading
conflicting testimonials when it comes to recovery time with this type of
procedure.  Be sure to discuss this with
your plastic surgeon and follow his or her post-operative instructions very
carefully.

After a couple of days most people feel comfortable driving, as long as you don't have excessive swelling.  For going back to work the time frame will vary.  Most people say that there eyes get dry and feel uncomfortable when they do a lot of reading or work on the computer.  This is for at least the first 7-10 days. And if you have to deal directly with the public you may look bruised and swollen for at least 10 days.      

The biggest issue following blepharoplasty is bruising. Most patients can drive after 2-3 days for short distances. By that time, most people have stopped using any narcotic pain medication (another reason not to drive initially). With regard to returning to work, seven days is often adequate though in some cases, small amounts of bruising might still be present. I hope this information is helpful for you.Stephen Weber MD, FACSDenver Facial Plastic Surgeon

Recovery following blepharoplasty can be variable.  Some patients can drive after 3 days if they have had minimal procedures and have mild swelling.  However, others may have swelling and bruising lasting 7-10 days which may make driving or returning to work a bit more challenging.  Above all, we as doctors want our patients to be safe.  So, please don't push yourself to drive or return to work too soon.  Your doctor can best advise you as to when it is safe to drive and return to work.

In most cases, you would be able to drive 3 days after blepharoplasty. It will depend on the specifics of your procedure, how much swelling, and whether you are on pain medications. Consult with your surgeon  to know when it will be safe to drive.

Dear karen, thank
you for your question. Blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery can remove loose skin
and bulging fat pockets, and enhance the appearance of the upper face. In our practice we often combine eyelid surgery with fat grafting or a laser
peel for best results.Eyelid surgery is
not without risks, so consult with an experienced facial plastic surgeon or
general plastic surgeon to discuss your options and answer your questions. Good Luck!

Driving three days after blepharoplasty surgery would depend on your post operative healing and if you were taking any medications at the time. If you do not have medications in your system for 12 hours then it is possible you can drive three days after surgery if this is a short distance.  As far as regular daily tasks it depends on what those tasks are for you, if it is cooking, light driving, paying some bills etc then you should be fine. Most patients complain of some eye strain if on the computer to long or reading as your eyes get tired. You may also have ointment in the eyes at rest which can cause blurriness so this is also a factor to take into consideration. Most patients can use a lubricating drop in the daytime to reduce the blurriness of ointment. An evaluation by your surgeon post surgery will determine when you should return to most of your activities. Remember while we all have busy lives this is your time, you are doing something for yourself, so lean on your friends and family to make it as restful as possible. Best regards, Michael V. Elam, M.D.

You may be able to rive short distances in 3-4 days following a blepharoplasty, but I would plan on giving myself a little more than 5 days to return to work.  Patients do heal at different rates following any surgery and it may take 7 to 10 days or more before you feel presentable in public.  Don't push your schedule too fast.  Allow yourself time to heal.  Best wishes, Dr Lepore.

To paraphrase an old joke, I would assume that if you were able to drive a car before and have a license, you may be able to drive after blepharoplasty surgery. It is quite likely you will be able to drive a car after three days providing there is not blurred vision from swelling. Sometimes a transconjunctival lower blepharoplasty can lead to swelling of the tissues inside the eye creating some temporary visual problems. I would not count on being able to go to work in five days with your eyes being completely unnoticed.