The average cost of eyelid surgery is $4,950, though the price can range as high as $12,149, according to 6,447 reviews from RealSelf members.
Cosmetic eyelid surgery (aka an eye lift or blepharoplasty surgery) tightens and repositions the skin and underlying tissues of the upper or lower eyelids.
An upper blepharoplasty can lift sagging tissue, remove excess skin, and address hooding, while surgery on the lower lids can include the removal of excess fat pockets or under eye bags, to make eyes look younger and more rested. (Double eyelid surgery, which creates or deepens a crease in the upper lid, typically costs just over $3,000.)
Read on to learn all the factors that play into eyelid surgery costs, including when it’s covered by health insurance.
Related: Everything You Need to Know About Eyelid Surgery
During your initial consultation with a prospective surgeon, you’ll discuss your concerns and their recommendation for a personalized treatment plan. This is the right time to request an all-in cost estimate that includes:
Getting a written estimate in advance will help you avoid unpleasant surprises when the bill comes. You may also want to ask about their policy on revision surgery costs, in case you’re not happy with your results or have a complication.
These are the key factors influencing your blepharoplasty cost.
A blepharoplasty performed by a board-certified oculoplastic surgeon (a specialist in cosmetic and reconstructive eyelid surgery) will usually cost more than surgery done by a board certified plastic surgeon or facial plastic surgeon.
Why the difference? “The oculoplastic surgeon may be more experienced and capable of handling complex cases and complications,” says Harrison, New York, oculoplastic surgeon Dr. James Gordon. Because they specialize in eyelids, they perform many more blepharoplasties on average than their peers who also operate on other areas of the face and/or body.
As you’re selecting your surgeon, pay close attention to their board certifications, along with their patient reviews and photo gallery. Prioritize experience with this particular procedure over who quotes you the lowest price. You only have one set of eyes, and because complications can arise, it’s important to make sure you’re in skilled hands.
If your surgeon practices in a city with a high cost of living or in a high-rent neighborhood, they’ll have to pass some of that overhead onto you in the form of higher fees.
Most upper eyelid surgeries are performed in an office setting under local anesthesia, so you probably won’t have to pay a separate facility fee for this type of procedure.
A lower blepharoplasty is more complex, so it’s typically performed in a private surgery center. While that will come with a facility fee, it’s much less than you’d pay to have it done in a hospital operating room. Just be sure to ask if the facility has been accredited and if they have hospital privileges nearby, in the event of an emergency..
In most cases, lower eyelid surgery is more expensive than upper eyelid surgery. That’s because a lower lid procedure is usually more complex and time-consuming: it may involve the removal of excess skin and fat to eliminate under-eye bags and reduce puffiness, or fat grafting to fill in under-eye hollows.
Oftentimes, surgeons will reposition periorbital fat pads, moving unwanted tissue from an area of excess to an adjacent hollow that’s in need of fullness. The best surgeons are very careful not to remove too much fat, as this can leave the eyes sunken and older-looking.
Many surgeons offer a slightly discounted price if you have both an upper and lower blepharoplasty procedure in one operation (compared to what you’d pay to have them done separately).
Depending on your goals, upper eyelid surgery may also need to be accompanied by brow lift surgery, to increase the longevity of your results.
It can also be combined with a ptosis repair (to correct drooping lids and asymmetries), a canthoplasty (commonly called cat-eye lift surgery), a facelift, or fat transfer. These procedures could add thousands to your eyelid surgery price.
Providers often give a discount for having multiple procedures at the same time. But while that will decrease the cost of each individual procedure, it will of course inflate your overall bill.
It’s often helpful for upper blepharoplasty patients to be awake and cooperative during surgery (to ensure adequate eyelid height adjustment by moving your lids), so upper eyelid surgery is often done using local anesthesia with oral sedation. This can be administered by your surgeon or a trained member of their staff.
For a lower blepharoplasty, you’ll probably need IV sedation. This means you’ll also need to pay to have it administered by an anesthesia provider, who will monitor your vitals throughout the procedure. An anesthesiologist (an MD) will charge more for their services than a nurse anesthetist (CRNA), but some providers prefer them because of their advanced training.
General anesthesia, which adds more risk and cost, is generally not required for cosmetic eyelid surgery.
Eyelid surgery has a 92% Worth It Rating on RealSelf, so while some weren’t happy with their investment, a majority of people who wrote reviews think their results were worth the expense.
Those who rated their procedure as “Worth It” say it made them look younger and less tired.
People who say it was “Not Worth It” commonly complained about asymmetry and visible incision scars. One reviewer even reported nerve damage.
Correcting a bad result can be very difficult (especially if too much skin was removed), so it’s important to choose a well-trained, experienced surgeon. Prioritize finding a board-certifiedfacial plastic or oculoplastic surgeon who can show you an extensive photo gallery of their own patients with beautiful, natural-looking results.
If you want to avoid the expense and downtime of blepharoplasty surgery—and aren’t looking for a drastic change—you may want to consider these nonsurgical treatments that can also tighten eyelid skin:
While all of these treatments can help improve the appearance of eyes, they can’t match the dramatic and lasting results of surgery. You would also need multiple sessions to provide visible and sustained results, which can get costly.
Ultimately, only you and an experienced provider can determine which cosmetic procedure will be the most worth it for your goals and budget.
Cosmetic eyelid surgery is typically not covered by insurance.
Surgery to correct drooping upper eyelid skin (ptosis) that affects your vision is often covered by insurance, if you have documentation from an oculoplastic surgeon or ophthalmologist that it’s medically necessary.
Ptosis surgery involves repositioning the underlying muscles to lift the upper lid, so it rests higher on the surface of the eye. It can be performed at the same time as cosmetic eyelid surgery.
If you’re a good candidate for both ptosis and cosmetic surgery, you’ll pay less to combine the two procedures into a single operation, especially if your insurance coverage offsets some of the cost.
Yes, most practices offer payment plans or accept financing options.
The CareCredit credit card is widely accepted by providers across the U.S., for both plastic surgery and nonsurgical procedures.
Browse average eyelid surgery costs and ranges by state, according to the 809 most recent RealSelf reviews as of March 2023. (Note: States not included don't have enough recent data to display.)
State | Average Cost |
---|---|
Arizona | $4,004 |
California | $5,397 |
Colorado | $5,521 |
Connecticut | $6,183 |
Florida | $4,795 |
Georgia | $4,293 |
Hawaii | $3,580 |
Illinois | $5,777 |
Indiana | $4,400 |
Kansas | $3,660 |
Louisiana | $5,882 |
Maryland | $3,941 |
Massachusetts | $4,669 |
Michigan | $4,007 |
Missouri | $6,000 |
Nevada | $4,136 |
New Jersey | $4,778 |
New York | $5,789 |
North Carolina | $4,500 |
Ohio | $5,004 |
Oklahoma | $4,066 |
Oregon | $4,881 |
Pennsylvania | $4,894 |
South Carolina | $5,025 |
Tennessee | $3,880 |
Texas | $4,985 |
Utah | $5,157 |
Virginia | $5,925 |
Washington State | $5,048 |
Wisconsin | $4,770 |
Metro Area | Average Cost |
---|---|
Atlanta, GA | $5,367 |
Austin, TX | $6,750 |
Boston, MA | $5,419 |
Chicago, IL | $5,200 |
Columbus, OH | $4,296 |
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | $6,140 |
Denver, CO | $5,190 |
Detroit, MI | $3,358 |
Houston, TX | $5,292 |
Las Vegas, NV | $4,550 |
Los Angeles, CA | $8,026 |
Miami, FL | $4,125 |
New York City | $6,551 |
North New Jersey | $5,550 |
Orange County, CA | $5,853 |
Philadelphia & South New Jersey | $5,755 |
Phoenix, AZ | $4,175 |
Salt Lake City, UT | $5,767 |
San Diego, CA | $5,300 |
San Francisco, CA | $5,100 |
Seattle-Tacoma, WA | $6,098 |
St Louis, MO | $6,150 |
Tampa, FL | $8,166 |
Washington, DC | $7,100 |