Because orbital fat grafting is an invasive and most often revisional operation in which tissue is being added rather the merely subtracted, recovery takes longer than with first-time cosmetic blepharoplasty. Initial discomfort, swelling, and bruising are usually similar to blepharoplasty while deeper inflammation is slower to resolve.

• The remainder of the day of surgery should be spent in bed with head elevated on several pillows. Cold compresses should be applied as much as possible until bedtime.

• No bandages are applied over the eyes. In some cases, vision may seem slightly blurry or even double during the first week or so. Slight blood-tinged discharge is common for several days.

• Several postoperative medications are used both to promote comfort and discourage infection (these are provided to our patients after surgery).

• Most normal activity (no bending or straining) may be resumed on the day following the operation, and a relaxed outdoor walk is acceptable. Vigorous physical activity and exercise should be curtailed for three weeks. Driving may be resumed within several days if vision has returned to normal.

• Sutures from the eyelids and donor site are typically removed on the fourth day after surgery, after which time it is safe to travel by air. The scars will fade slowly for up to a year.

• At first, the eyes tend to appear puffy due to surgical swelling and bruising, most of which disappears within several weeks. Deeper inflammation within the healing graft and surrounding tissues resolves much more slowly.

• With surgery on the upper lids, it may be difficult to open one or both eyes fully during the first two to three weeks. In some patients, such droopiness may remain noticeable for several months or longer.

• Contact lens wear may be resumed in 1-2 weeks.

• Even though still slightly swollen, most people feel comfortable about returning to work in about two weeks.

• For patients residing far away, long-term follow-up can generally be accomplished via phone and online communication with digital photos.

• With respect to added volume, most patients have advised us that they reached an essentially stable state by around three months. More subtle changes can be experienced for up to a year.

• A reasonable goal is to achieve a noticeable improvement. As with all delicate cosmetic surgery (and especially those operations undertaken to correct unsatisfactory previous results), final outcomes are seldom perfect or near-perfect.

Note: These guidelines are for general reference only and not complete.
Instructions are individualized and will be provided at the time of treatment.

Sequential Healing Photos After Upper Orbital Fat Grafting

Healing After Blepharoplasty: A Directory of Site Resources