Is 12 days too long to leave stitches in after an upper eye lid surgery?

As sexy as the laser sounds, it devitalized the cut skin edge delaying healing.  For that reason, it is necessary to leave sutures in place for at least twice as long as an incision made with a cold steal scalpel.  If you did not have the incision made with a laser, most eyelid surgeons remove these eyelid sutures at day 6 or 7 to minimize millia, epithelial tunnels, and suture inflammation.  Your surgeon must have missed this lecture.  To be honest a few days seldom makes a big difference in the grand scheme of things.  Call the office and let them know you would be more comfortable having the sutures removed earlier.

In general sutures are removed 4-7 days after eyelid surgery.Your surgeon may have reasoning why
they prefer to keep them in longer.I recommend inquiring with your surgeon about this timing.

I agree that 12 days is a long time.  The classic length of time for facial sutures is 5-7 days.  Since I cannot think of a rational for this duration, its best to ask your Surgeon.

Sometimes sutures need to be left a little longer to allow the skin to heal properly.  Small sutures on the eyelid left over a week should not leave objectionable scars.  Your surgeon might be concerned about a possible dehiscence if they are taken out earlier. 

Most people remove the sutures anywhere from 5-10 days.  If they are sutures that dissolve they are usually gone by about day 10.  If not they can be removed.  Surgery done with a laser may need the sutures left in a few extra days.  Upper eyelid skin heals very nicely so at 12 days you should not have a problem with the scar if the sutures come out that day.