How Long After Rhinoplasty Until I Can Wear Glasses?

Immediately after rhinoplasty our patients can wear glasses because they have a plastic splint on the nose, protecting it. Once the splint comes off at 5 days, we give the patients 1/4 '' paper tape and if they want to wear glasses, they tape the nose piece to the forehead. We want to reduce risks. We don't want depressions on the nose or asymmetries because the glasses hit the nose to hard. When the bones are stable,usually 6 weeks then you can wear glasses reliably.

Great question.   I advise my patients not to wear glasses for approximately 2 months post op.  After the nose splint is removed about a week after surgery, I instruct my patients to tape their glasses to their forehead or prop them onto their cheeks until the two month post surgery mark/until the nose is healed enough to allow them to wear their glasses again. 

We recommend that patients don’t wear eyeglasses for at least four weeks following rhinoplasty.  During this period the nasal bones aren’t totally healed and slight pressure can cause distortion, indentation and secondary nasal deformities
            In patients who are dependent upon their eyeglasses, alternative strategies are occasionally necessary.  When nasal splints are present, eyeglasses can be placed directly on top of these stable structures without concern.  The splints are usually removed after the first week and other approaches becomes necessary.

            We often recommend taping the eyeglasses to the forehead.  In some cases additional padding can be attached to the nasal eyeglass pads as well.

When patients require eyeglasses to function these maneuvers represent a significant disruption of daily activities.  With this in mind, it’s important to remember that the benefits of rhinoplasty will last an entire lifetime.