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persons blue eyes in close up photography

Eyelid Surgery | Upper & Lower Blepharoplasty

The eyes are the first place age shows — and the first place a well-executed procedure restores.

Heaviness over the upper eyes, puffiness below them, a persistent look of tiredness that no longer reflects how you feel — these are among the most common concerns Mr Matthew Potter sees in consultation. In many cases they are addressable through eyelid surgery, either to the upper lids, the lower lids, or both.

Upper eyelid surgery removes excess skin and muscle that weighs down the lid, brightening the eye and restoring a more open, rested appearance. Lower eyelid surgery addresses excess skin, protruding fat, and laxity of the lid structures — conditions that present differently in every patient and require a tailored approach.

Both procedures can be performed independently or together, and are frequently combined with a brow lift or facelift where the surrounding facial structures are also contributing to the aged appearance.
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Why Mr Potter

Upper Blepharoplasty

16 years performing upper eyelid surgery

0% long-term pain

0% haematoma post-operatively

0% unplanned return to theatre within 30 days

0% asymmetry requiring revision

Average post-operative stay: day case

Return to office work: 1–2 weeks

Lower Blepharoplasty

8 years performing lower eyelid surgery

0% long-term pain

0% haematoma post-operatively

0% unplanned return to theatre within 30 days

0% asymmetry requiring revision

Average post-operative stay: 1 night

Return to office work: 2 weeks on average

PHIN patient satisfaction score: 99%

PHIN is an independent government audit of consultant patient outcomes, randomly sampling post-operative patients. A 99% satisfaction score places Mr Potter among the highest-rated plastic surgeons in the country.

Understanding Your Eyelids

What appears to be excess upper eyelid skin is not always caused by the eyelid itself. In many patients, the real issue is brow descent — the brow sitting too low and pushing skin downward onto the lid. Treating the eyelid alone in these cases produces an incomplete result.

Mr Potter examines the eyelids and all surrounding structures carefully before recommending any procedure. Where brow descent is contributing, he may recommend a lateral temporal brow lift alongside or instead of upper eyelid surgery. Where the mid or lower face is also involved, he will discuss the full picture with you across several consultations before any decision is made.

Why a careful assessment matters

person's right eye

Patient Imagery

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Upper-Blepharoplsaty-Patient-1-Before
Upper-Blepharoplsaty-Patient-1-After
Upper-Blepharoplsaty-Patient-2-Before
Upper-Blepharoplsaty-Patient-2-After
Upper-Blepharoplsaty-Patient-4-Before
Upper-Blepharoplsaty-Patient-4-After
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Lower-Blepharoplasty-1-After
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The Procedure

Upper blepharoplasty is performed under local anaesthetic. The procedure takes approximately one hour. It is a day case — patients are observed for approximately one hour after surgery to confirm there is no post-operative bleeding, then discharged home. You will need someone to take you home and must not drive for at least 48 hours after the procedure.

Following surgery, sutures are secured with surgical tape which can be washed with soap and water morning and night. Mr Potter will provide a medicated ointment to apply to the eye each night.

Recovery — Upper Blepharoplasty

Days 1–2 – Bruising and swelling peaks; bruising may resemble black eyes

Day 1 onwards – Shower and wash the area daily

1 week – Sutures and tapes removed at outpatient clinic

1–2 weeks – Most patients return to office-based work

3 weeks – Review with Mr Potter

1 month – Avoid contact lenses until this point

  • This procedure is not usually associated with significant pain — simple oral pain relief for the first two to four days is typically sufficient
  • Apply eye drops morning and night for the first week if needed
  • Avoid screens for extended periods in the early recovery period — reduced blinking causes the eye to dry out
  • Avoid makeup until all wounds are confirmed fully healed at the outpatient clinic
  • Avoid contact lenses for one month after the procedure
  • Avoid coughing, straining and bending for at least two weeks
  • Avoid strenuous exercise for 6 weeks

Upper Blepharoplasty​

Upper eyelid surgery — or upper blepharoplasty — removes excess skin and muscle from the upper lid, and where appropriate addresses fat beneath the brow that is contributing to a heavy or aged appearance.

The incision is placed within the natural crease of the upper eyelid, where it heals to become virtually invisible. The result is a brighter, more open eye that looks refreshed without looking operated on.

Where fat has reduced in volume under the brow or is protruding within the eyelid, Mr Potter can address this at the same time — either reducing or redistributing fat to restore a more youthful upper lid contour.

The Procedure

Lower blepharoplasty is performed under general anaesthetic and takes approximately one to three hours depending on the combination of techniques required. A pre-operative health check is required before admission.

Most patients stay one night in hospital following the procedure to allow the swelling to be monitored and managed. Eye ointment is provided to reduce post-operative irritation and should be applied morning and night.

Recovery — Upper Blepharoplasty

Days 1–2 – Significant swelling; most patients remain in hospital for one night

Day 1 onwards – Wash the area twice daily

1 week – Sutures removed at outpatient clinic; tapes removed at the same appointment

1–2 weeks – Swelling continues to settle

2 weeks – Most patients return to office-based work

1 month – Review with Mr Potter; avoid contact lenses until this point

3 month+ – Regular reviews until result has fully settled

  • Sleep with three pillows to raise the head and minimise swelling
  • Apply eye drops morning and night for the first two weeks after the procedure
  • Apply eye ointment every night as directed
  • Avoid screens in the immediate post-operative period — reduced blinking causes the eye to dry out
  • Avoid contact lenses for one month after the procedure
  • Avoid makeup until all wounds are confirmed fully healed at the outpatient clinic
  • Avoid coughing, straining and bending for at least two weeks
  • Avoid strenuous exercise for 6 weeks

Lower Blepharoplasty

Lower eyelid ageing presents differently in every patient. Some have excess skin. Others have fat that bulges below the lid margin. Some have laxity in the lid structures that causes the lid to pull away from the eye. Many have a combination of all three.

There is no single procedure that addresses all of these — and Mr Potter does not apply one. He tailors the approach to each patient’s lower lid anatomy, using a combination of techniques selected for what that individual needs.

The only approach that avoids a skin incision entirely is fat redraping — repositioning the fat that causes the bulge beneath the lid rather than removing it. All other techniques involve a small incision placed within a natural skin fold at the outer corner of the lower lid, where it is well concealed.

Where appropriate, Mr Potter can also restore the natural slope of the eye to give a more youthful, defined appearance.
Mr Potter will discuss all risks with you in detail across your consultations. Lower blepharoplasty in particular is a procedure he reviews with patients on several occasions before recommending it, given the complexity of the lower lid structures.
Risks associated with eyelid surgery include:
  • Swelling and bruising — expected; bruising may resemble black eyes in the first few days; settles within one to two weeks depending on the procedure
  • Dry eyes — temporary; avoid prolonged screen use in the early recovery period; eye drops provided
  • Changes in sensation — uncommon; usually temporary
  • Eyelid drooping (ptosis) — highly likely immediately after upper blepharoplasty due to swelling and local anaesthetic effects; resolves with time. Long-term drooping is exceptionally rare.
  • Ectropion — lower blepharoplasty specifically; a weakening of the lower lid causing it to droop below its desired position. Mr Potter tightens the lid structures as part of the procedure specifically to minimise this risk.
  • Blurred or double vision — exceptionally rare; caused by temporary muscle weakness around the eye socket due to swelling; settles within days to a week
  • Bleeding behind the eyeball — exceptionally rare but has been reported to cause blindness; noted as part of the full consent picture
  • Scarring — incisions are placed within natural skin creases or folds to minimise visibility; scars typically become imperceptible within months
  • Asymmetry — rare; Mr Potter’s outcome data records 0% asymmetry requiring revision across both procedures
  • Infection — exceptionally uncommon in this area given the rich blood supply
  • DVT / pulmonary embolus — where general anaesthetic is used; specialist stockings and blood-thinning injections are provided during your stay
  • Further procedures — where any adjustments are needed, Mr Potter and his hospital teams are happy to facilitate further surgery to ensure you are happy with your result

What Patients Say

Mr Potter is, of course, a highly skilled surgeon, but is also kind, patient and considerate. I am completely satisfied with the result of the bilateral upper blepharoplasty he performed for me. My eye muscles were getting very tired from holding up a lot of excess skin which was drooping down over the eyelids and pushing my eyelashes down; the surgery has resolved this and my eyes feel so much better. As a bonus, I am now able to wear mascara again – this had been impossible for several years prior to the surgery – and I look less tired. Six months on from the surgery, the scars are not visible. I would recommend Mr Potter, and the entire team who were involved in my care, to anyone considering upper blepharoplasty.
My operation was to reduce the substantial overhang of my upper eyelids at the sides of my eyes. Pre operation Mr. Potter explained the procedure I requested in detail, showed me photographs of previous patients and clearly explained the operation itself, post operative care and the risks involved. The only slight discomfort during the operation was the administration of local anaesthetic after which it was an almost pleasant experience. I had no post-operative pain at all and the bruising started to clear after only a few days. I had elected for the operation because my field of vision to both sides was restricted by the overhang of my upper eyelids. I now have a substantially improved field of vision and there is no obvious sign that I’ve had anything done. Would highly recommend both Mr. Potter and the procedure to anyone with a similar problem.
I would just like to say thank-you for all the help you have given me. It’s nice to know that there are doctors like you around.
A huge and heartfelt thanks for everything you have done for me.
Thank you for all you did for me at the beginning of this year, I am extremely grateful.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is blepharoplasty?

Blepharoplasty is the surgical term for eyelid surgery. Upper blepharoplasty removes excess skin and muscle from the upper eyelid to reduce heaviness and restore a more open, rested appearance. Lower blepharoplasty addresses excess skin, protruding fat, and structural laxity of the lower eyelid. Both can be performed independently or together.

This is something Mr Potter assesses carefully in consultation. Upper lid heaviness is sometimes caused by brow descent rather than the eyelid itself, and treating the wrong structure produces a poor result. Mr Potter examines the eyelids and all surrounding structures before making any recommendation.

Upper eyelid incisions are placed within the natural crease of the lid, where they heal to become virtually invisible. Lower eyelid incisions, where required, are placed within a natural skin fold at the outer corner of the eye. In both cases, scars typically become imperceptible within a few months.

Upper blepharoplasty is performed under local anaesthetic as a day case. Sedation or general anaesthetic is available if preferred. Lower blepharoplasty is performed under general anaesthetic.

Yes — and it frequently is. Upper blepharoplasty is often performed alongside a lateral temporal brow lift where brow descent is also contributing to upper lid heaviness. Lower blepharoplasty is commonly performed as part of a mid or lower facelift. Mr Potter will discuss the full picture with you during consultation.

Upper blepharoplasty patients typically return to office work within one to two weeks. Lower blepharoplasty recovery takes slightly longer — most patients return to work at around two weeks, with swelling continuing to settle over the following weeks. Mr Potter will review you at one month and at regular intervals after lower blepharoplasty until the result has fully settled.

Mr Potter performs eyelid surgery at the Manor Hospital in Oxford, Ridgeway Hospital in Swindon, Stratum Clinic in Wootton Oxfordshire, ProDerm in Cheltenham, and Interface Business Park in Royal Wootton Bassett.

Book a Consultation

Contact us if you have any health concerns or are looking to get a consultation. You can contact Matthew Potter by using the form below or contact him through one of the available telephone numbers or email addresses listed on this page.

Private Secretary & All Correspondence

T. 07917 965717

Swindon - Ridgeway Hospital

T. 01793 814848

Cheltenham - ProDerm, Festival House

T. 0800 0489230

Oxfordshire - Stratum Clinic,
Wootton Business Park

T. 01865 320790

Wiltshire - Interface Business Park, Royal Wootton Bassett

T: 0808 2803560

Oxford - The Manor Hospital

T. 01865 307777

Contact Lissie on 07917 965717 or use the form below.