Eyelid Surgery in Turkey (Blepharoplasty)

What Is Eyelid Surgery?

Blepharoplasty adjusts the excess skin, loosened muscle and herniated fat of the eyelids. In the upper lid, skin and if necessary a little muscle are removed through an incision hidden in the natural crease. In the lower lid, the surgeon works either through an incision just under the lashes or from the inside of the lid (transconjunctival) to remove the fat pads or, more commonly today, to reposition them into the hollow beneath the eye.

Eyelid surgery in Istanbul is one of the most frequently performed facial procedures on its own and is also often planned together with a facelift and brow lift. Although often seen as a small operation, the anatomy around the eye is delicate and millimetre differences change the expression.

Who Is a Good Candidate?

Eyelid surgery is usually considered after the age of 35, although younger patients with hereditary under-eye bags can also be candidates. An assessment is recommended if you have:

• Excess upper eyelid skin that reaches the lashes and hides the lid crease
• A feeling of heaviness in the lids, tiredness that worsens through the day and a narrowed upper field of vision
• Bags under the lower lids and a hollow beneath them that casts a shadow
• Fine wrinkles and loose skin in the lower lids
• A persistently tired or sad appearance

Dry eye, thyroid eye disease, glaucoma and previous eye surgery affect planning and are always assessed at examination. Where dark circles are due to skin pigmentation, surgery alone will not solve the colour problem; this is discussed honestly at the first consultation.

Eyelid Surgery Techniques

The upper and lower lids are planned separately; most patients have both treated together, while some need only one.

Upper eyelid surgery

Through an incision along the lid crease, excess skin, a thin strip of muscle if required and herniated fat are removed. With the eyes open, the incision disappears into the crease. In hooded or low-set lids, the crease height is set according to your natural anatomy, and skin removal is kept measured because taking too much can make it difficult to close the eyes.

Lower eyelid surgery

In patients who have fat bags but no excess skin, the transconjunctival approach through the inside of the lid is preferred and leaves no external scar. Where there is also excess skin, a fine incision just below the lashes (transcutaneous) allows both fat and skin to be addressed. In patients with a lax lower lid, a canthopexy is added to support the lid and prevent it from being pulled downwards.

Fat repositioning

Rather than removing the fat that forms the under-eye bag, the principle of modern blepharoplasty is to spread it over the bony rim and secure it in the hollow. The bag flattens and the shadow beneath it fills, reducing the risk of a hollow look. Extra volume can be added with your own fat if needed.

Combination with a brow lift

If part of the upper lid heaviness comes from a drooping brow, removing lid skin alone is not enough and can pull the brow down further. In these patients an endoscopic or temporal brow lift is performed in the same session; once the brow is back in its natural position, far less skin needs to be removed from the upper lid and the result is more balanced.

Skin surface and additional procedures

Laser or chemical peel for fine lower lid wrinkles, botulinum toxin for crow's feet and fat transfer for hollow temples can be added to the plan.

First Consultation and Planning

For a remote assessment we ask for close-up photographs from the front, both profiles and looking upwards, without make-up or glasses. A video consultation covers your concerns, your eye health history, contact lens use and whether you suffer from dry eyes.

At the in-person examination Dr. Esmer assesses the amount of lid skin, the position of the fat pads, lower lid laxity, brow position and the prominence of the eyeball. Brow droop and excess lid skin are distinguished here, as they require different operations. If dry eye is suspected, an ophthalmology review may be requested. Blood tests and, where needed, an anaesthetic consultation are completed before surgery.

Preparing for Surgery

• Stop smoking and nicotine products at least 3 weeks beforehand; nicotine slows healing in the thin eyelid skin.
• Stop aspirin, ibuprofen and similar medicines, as well as supplements such as vitamin E, omega-3, ginkgo and garlic, 10 days beforehand with your doctor's knowledge; they markedly increase bruising around the eyes. Tell us if you take prescription anticoagulants.
• Avoid alcohol in the week before surgery.
• If general anaesthesia or sedation is planned, do not eat or drink after midnight the night before.
• Do not wear contact lenses on the morning of surgery; bring your glasses and plan to be without lenses for at least 1–2 weeks.
• Come with a clean face and no make-up, and bring sunglasses and a front-opening top.
• Surgery is postponed if you have an active infection, stye or conjunctivitis around the eye.

The Day of Surgery

Blepharoplasty is usually a day-case procedure. For the upper lids alone, local anaesthetic with light sedation is sufficient; for lower lids and combined procedures, sedation or general anaesthesia is preferred. The operation takes 1–2 hours depending on its scope, longer if a brow lift is added.

Before surgery, Dr. Esmer marks the incisions with you sitting upright; the symmetry of the lid crease is set at this stage. At the end, the incisions are closed with fine sutures, no bulky dressing is used and cold compresses are applied. You are discharged the same day after a few hours of observation, or the next day if eyelid surgery is combined with a facelift.

Recovery and Aftercare

Recovery after eyelid surgery is quick compared with other facial procedures, but because the skin around the eyes is thin, swelling and bruising are noticeable in the first week.

• Swelling and bruising: Most intense for the first 2–3 days and largely settled by 7–10 days. Apply cold compresses for 20 minutes at a time during the first 48 hours.
• Sutures: Upper lid sutures are removed on days 5–7. Transconjunctival lower lid surgery uses dissolving sutures, with nothing to remove externally.
• Sleeping position: Sleep on your back with your head raised for the first week; sleeping face down increases swelling.
• Eye care: Use the antibiotic ointment and artificial tear drops provided as directed, and avoid rubbing your eyes.
• Washing and make-up: You can shower from the next day, keeping water away from the eye area. Eye make-up can be resumed a week after the sutures are removed.
• Screens and reading: Eye fatigue and mild blurring are normal in the first days; keep screen time short.
• Contact lenses: Wait 2 weeks before wearing lenses.
• Exercise: Walking is fine from day one; wait 3–4 weeks for vigorous exercise, weights and swimming.
• Sun: Wear sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen for 6–8 weeks to prevent the scars darkening.

Risks and How They Are Minimised

Possible risks of blepharoplasty include bleeding, infection, temporary dry or watery eyes, blurred vision, bruising, asymmetry, temporary difficulty closing the eyes and visible scarring. Downward pull of the lower lid (ectropion) and over-removal of upper lid skin are rare but important complications. Serious complications affecting the eyeball itself are extremely rare.

To minimise these risks, surgery is performed in a fully equipped hospital; skin is removed by measurement, leaving enough for the lids to close; a canthopexy is added in patients with lax lower lids; fat is preserved wherever possible rather than removed; smoking and blood-thinner rules are strictly applied; and close checks are carried out during the first week.

For International Patients

Because of its short recovery, eyelid surgery is one of the most convenient operations for patients travelling to Turkey. A single coordinator manages the process from your first message; the plan is finalised by photographs and video consultation.

• Stay in Istanbul: 5–7 days is recommended, covering the pre-operative examination and suture removal; the stay is longer if a brow lift or facelift is added.
• Flying: You can fly once the sutures are out; use artificial tear drops on the plane and keep sunglasses with you.
• Follow-up: After you return home, photo reviews continue via WhatsApp, with video consultations at 1, 3 and 6 months.
• Coordination: Airport transfers, hotel options close to the hospital and an interpreter at the hospital and at appointments are arranged by our team.

See our international patients page for more detail.

How the Price Is Determined

It is not possible to give a single figure for eyelid surgery Turkey cost or blepharoplasty in Turkey prices, because upper lid, lower lid and combined procedures each require a different plan. Under Turkish law, medical services cannot be advertised with prices, so no fees are listed on this website. A personalised quote is sent to you after your assessment.

The main factors that shape the quote are:

• Upper lids only, lower lids only, or both together
• Whether additional steps such as fat repositioning, canthopexy or fat transfer are needed
• Combination with a brow lift or facelift
• Type of anaesthesia (local, sedation, general) and hospital stay
• Previous eyelid surgery (a revision case)
• Accommodation and transfer package for international patients

Why Dr. Göktuğ Esmer?

Dr. Göktuğ Esmer is a board-certified plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon and a member of ISAPS, the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. In surgery around the eyes his priority is to remove the tired look while keeping your own gaze; a hollowed, sunken or surprised expression is never the goal.

• Natural results: Measured skin removal and volume preservation without changing the shape of the eye
• Accurate diagnosis: Distinguishing brow droop from excess lid skin, and combining procedures where needed
• Safety: Fully equipped hospital, planning that respects eye health, precautions against bleeding and dryness
• Close follow-up: Frequent checks in the first week and remote monitoring for international patients

To start a preliminary assessment, send your photographs via the contact page. For planning that involves overall facial proportion, see our rhinoplasty page.

Recovery Timeline

The timeline below shows a typical course; healing speed varies between patients.

Before / After

Results shared with patient consent. See more on Instagram: @doctorg.official

Frequently Asked Questions – Eyelid Surgery in Turkey (Blepharoplasty)

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