Lacrimal Gland Mistakenly Removed?

It would be quite difficult for a qualified surgeon to remove the lacrimal gland during blepharoplasty. The gland sits in the lateral aspect of the orbit and the fat is in the middle and medial areas. Dry eyes after blepharoplasty is more likely due to a change in the tear film due to swelling and inflammation and a change in the muscular contraction of the upper lid. The effects if mild are usually temporary, but it should certainly be followed by an ophthalmologist to ensure that the eyes do not get to dry. Good luck.

Anatomically, the lacrimal gland is in such a distinct location that it would be difficult for a surgeon to remove it by mistake. My bold assumption is that you experience dry eye complaints after an upper blepharoplasty. These dry eye issues are relatively common and usually temporary. Occurence of dry eyes do not mean that your surgeon did something wrong. It is rather your eyes' response to the eyelid lift.

The modern upper blepharoplasty relies on removal of excess skin, occasionally obicularis muscle, and rarely fat. Below the upper eyelid muscle and orbital septum, there are 3 compartments - lateral, middle, and medial (closest to the nose). The lateral compartment contains the lacrimal gland, the middle contains a yellowish colored fat pad, and the medial contains a whiter colored fat pad. In the past, many eyelid surgeons removed too much orbital fat. I've seen hundreds of these patients who have that "sunken-in" deep upper orbital sulcus or the so called "A-frame deformity" - which is not aesthetic. This deformity can be corrected with fat grafting or a safe filler.
If I remove upper orbital fat, it is usually a small amount from the compartment closest to the nose. I rarely remove fat from the middle compartment and never disturb the lacrimal gland. The lacrimal glands provide tear lubrication for the eyes, thus removal or partial removal can cause a dry eye.
Your Plastic Surgeon should ask you before eyelid surgery if you have a history of dry eyes. If your Plastic Surgeon suspects you have dry eyes, he can perform a simple test on both eyes called a Schirmer's Test. This test involves placing a small strip of filter paper under your lower lid and measuring the length of the wetness. A normal test is greater than 10 mm of moisture on the filter paper after 5 minutes.