Droopy eyelid surgery

Droopy eyelid surgery in Turkey: what it is and what it corrects

Droopy eyelid surgery is the umbrella name for two different operations that both raise a heavy upper eyelid. Upper blepharoplasty removes excess skin, and sometimes a little fat or muscle, from a lid that hangs because the skin has stretched with age. Ptosis surgery repairs the muscle that lifts the lid (levator) when the lid itself sits too low, so the eyelid covers part of the pupil even when the skin is normal. The names are used loosely online, and which operation you need is the first thing to find out.

This guide explains how to tell them apart, how each is done, what the evidence says, what it costs in Turkey compared with the UK, US and Germany, what recovery involves and how to check a clinic. For related options see our guides to upper eyelid surgery and the wider plastic surgery treatments in Turkey.

Get my free quote

Is it excess skin, a low eyebrow or true ptosis?

Three different causes make an upper eyelid look droopy, and they need different treatment. Dermatochalasis is a fold of excess skin that hangs over the lid margin and may touch the lashes. A low or heavy brow, where the eyebrow has dropped, pushes the skin down onto the eye and may be treated with a brow lift. Ptosis is a lid margin that sits lower than normal, often one eye more than the other, because the lifting muscle has weakened or detached with age, after contact lens wear, after eye surgery or from birth.

A simple check: look straight ahead in a mirror. If the lid margin covers more than about 2 mm of the iris, or one eye looks smaller and sleepier, ptosis is likely. If you can lift the skin fold with a finger and the lid margin looks normal, excess skin is more likely. A sudden droop, with double vision, headache or weakness, needs urgent medical attention before any cosmetic surgery.

Upper blepharoplasty or ptosis surgery: which operation fits?

Some patients need both a blepharoplasty and a ptosis repair, done in one operation. Surgeons who treat only skin may miss ptosis, and in that case the lid still looks heavy after surgery. Ask the surgeon how they measured your lid height and levator function.

How is droopy eyelid surgery done, step by step?

For blepharoplasty, the surgeon marks the skin fold in a natural crease while you sit. The operation is usually done under local anaesthesia with sedation, or under general anaesthesia if combined with other surgery. A thin incision is made in the crease, a measured strip of skin (and sometimes muscle and fat) is removed and the cut is closed with fine stitches, which are removed after about a week. The scar is hidden in the lid crease.

For ptosis repair, the levator muscle is shortened or re-attached to the tarsal plate through the same crease, or from inside the lid in mild cases. For severe ptosis with a very weak muscle, the lid may be suspended from the forehead muscle with a sling. The operation takes about 45 to 90 minutes for both eyes. In ptosis surgery the lid height is often checked while you are awake and sitting up, which is one reason local anaesthesia is preferred.

Does droopy eyelid surgery work, and does it last?

Yes, for a well-chosen patient. Blepharoplasty reliably removes excess skin, and ptosis surgery raises a low lid, with high satisfaction reported in the literature. Reviews also show that ptosis repair is more variable than skin removal: the lid can end up slightly high, low or uneven, and a small adjustment is sometimes needed. Results last for years but not for life, because ageing continues and some patients need a second operation, particularly after a mild ptosis repair. If the droop is medical in origin, for example from a nerve or muscle condition, surgery alone may not be suitable and you should be assessed first.

In some countries, droopy eyelid surgery is covered by health systems when the lid blocks vision; in Turkey as a cosmetic trip it is normally self-funded.

How much does droopy eyelid surgery cost in Turkey compared with the UK, US and Germany?

The figures are approximate ranges per operation on both upper eyelids, not hospital quotes. Each hospital confirms its own price in a written plan after reviewing your photographs.

The droopy eyelid surgery cost depends on whether the operation is blepharoplasty alone or includes ptosis repair, whether the lower lids or the brow are added, the anaesthesia and the number of nights you stay. A package normally covers pre-operative tests, the operation, anaesthetist, medication, follow-up and transfers; ask for the list in writing. Ptosis repair usually costs more than skin removal alone, so confirm which operation the quote is for.

Get my written quote

Who is a good candidate for droopy eyelid surgery?

Good candidates are healthy adults whose heavy lids interfere with their looks or, in some cases, with their upper field of vision, who have realistic expectations and no active eye disease. You are less suited if you have severe dry eyes, active thyroid eye disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure or diabetes, a bleeding disorder or if you smoke and cannot stop before surgery. A sudden-onset droop, double vision or a lid that varies through the day should be checked by a doctor before surgery, because it may signal a nerve or muscle condition. An eye examination before surgery is reasonable, particularly if you have dry eyes.

What is recovery like, week by week?

Expect swelling, bruising and a tight feeling around the lids, with temporary blurred vision from lubricating ointment. Most people describe pulling and mild discomfort rather than pain.

• Days 1–3: cold compresses, head raised, ointment and drops, no screens for long periods.
• Week 1: bruising peaks and fades; stitches are removed at about five to seven days.
• Weeks 2–3: most people return to work; avoid contact lenses, make-up near the scar and strenuous exercise.
• Months 2–6: swelling goes, the scar fades and, in ptosis repair, lid height settles.

Plan to stay five to seven days in Turkey. The surgeon removes the stitches and checks lid height and closure before you fly, which is an important check in ptosis surgery.

Plan my trip and recovery

Droopy eyelid surgery before and after: what can the photos tell you?

Photographs normally show a more open, less heavy upper eye, a visible lid crease and a thin scar that fades. They also show differences between operations: blepharoplasty removes a fold but does not change the lid margin, while ptosis repair changes the eye opening itself. Swelling and lid height keep changing over several months. Ask for photographs at three to six months, taken straight on and from the side, of patients with a similar cause of drooping, and be wary of galleries that mix cosmetic and medical cases without saying so.

What can go wrong with eyelid surgery for drooping?

Common effects are swelling, bruising, dry or watery eyes and temporary tightness. Less common problems include asymmetry, a lid that sits too high or too low after ptosis repair, difficulty closing the eye fully, scarring, infection and bleeding. Rare complications include vision-threatening bleeding behind the eye, so severe pain or sudden vision change needs urgent care. The NHS and professional bodies such as the American Society of Plastic Surgeons advise using a qualified surgeon and explaining all risks before consent. Ask what the clinic does if you need an adjustment and who will treat you after you return home.

How to choose a surgeon and hospital, and what to ask

Check that the surgeon is a specialist in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery or in oculoplastic surgery, that the hospital is licensed, and that you receive a written plan before paying a deposit. Red flags include a quote without any assessment of your lid height, no mention of ptosis even though one eye looks smaller and pressure to book fast. Read how our process works and use the free quote page for a hospital review.

• Do I have excess skin, ptosis or a low brow, and how did you measure it?
• Which operation do you recommend and why?
• What is your policy if the lid height needs adjusting?
• How many nights should I stay?
• Can I see photographs of patients with the same cause of drooping?

Get my free quote

Hospitals with Plastic & Aesthetic Surgery in Turkey

Academic Hospital

Üsküdar, Istanbul

MoHHealth Tourism Licence+2

Get Free Quote

Lokman Hekim Istanbul Hospital

Pendik, Istanbul

JCIMoH+2

Get Free Quote

View all

Frequently asked questions