Safe to Have Lower Eyelid Surgery if You Are Diabetic?

A good medical history is a critical component of any preoperative workup for surgery.  There are many risk factors that can affect the outcome of any surgery: high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiac disease.  Diabetes can slow the healing from surgery (increased swelling and slower wound healing), as well as increase the risk of infections.  

Fortunately, infections are exceedingly rare in the eyelids due to a fantastic blood supply in the face.

Most diabetic patients who undergo eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) have increased swelling as compared to non-diabetics.   And this slow healing can be frustrating in the healing process, but does not typically effect the final outcome of surgery.  Normal healthy patients typically are back to a normal appearance within a few weeks of blepharoplasty, but diabetics can take up to a month or more.

Hope this is helpful!

Diabetes may slightly delay your healing after lower eyelid surgery, but you should not be concerned about any other adverse effects due to diabetes.  That having been said, it is important to disclose your complete medical history to your surgeon.

Yes, but I require a full "written" medical clearance from the internist or primary doctor. From MIAMI 

 This depends on whether, or not, your diabetes is controlled with diet and oral medication or you require insulin injections.  Diabetes is a disease of small vessels and a s such delays healing and the blood supply to tissues that are dissected during any surgical procedure.  Smaller areas of dissection, like eyelids are far less vulnerable than larger areas like face, neck and abdomen. 

 Diabetics that are well controlled through diet, exercise and oral medication are consider less at risk than those requiring insulin.  IMHO, in either case a lower eyelid surgery should not be contra-indicated however, the MD treating your diabetes will have to clear you for surgery most likely.