Post Operative Care for Eyelid Surgery You have undergone major surgery. For a speedier recovery, please act accordingly and follow these instructions. Rest in bed for the remainder of the day of surgery to prevent bruising and swelling. Elevate your head at all times Elevate your head at all times and sleep on 2 pillows for one week to prevent bruising and swelling. You may want to sleep in a recliner or lounge chair. You may elevate the head of the bed by placing a cushion between the mattress and the box springs. Apply cold packs (to prevent bruising and swelling) to your eyelids 20 minutes "on" alternating with 20 minutes "off" for the first 24-36 hours. Bags of frozen peas or soft ice packs are excellent cold packs - buy 4 so you can keep 2 in the freezer while you are using the other 2. You may want to put the cold packs in plastic wrappers to keep your eyes dry. Do not put ice cubes directly on skin. Do not push or put any pressure on your eyelids. Just gently lay the cold packs on your face. Confine your activities to resting and activities which do not elevate your heart rate or blood pressure for 48 hours after surgery to prevent bleeding and bruising. Do not bend over so that your head is lower than your heart. You may walk at a normal pace by do not resume exercise (for at least 4 days after surgery) check with Doctor about this. If at any point in your recovery you experience swelling, resume the application of cold packs. Be gentle with your eyelids and avoid trauma to the area. Do not touch or clean or rub your eyelids. Do not fly in an airplane immediately after surgery as this may cause increases bruising and swelling due to the changes in pressure. Drainage: You may have drainage from the lower eyelids which appears as crusting or reddish fluid along the lower eyelid edge. (This is normal and can be cleaned off with a wet Q-tip (water only). Do not try to clean inside your eyes, and do not stick the Q-tip in your eyes as a friend to help you); Do not wear contact lenses for at least two weeks Returning to work: Most people return to work 1 to 4 days after surgery. Friend: You must have an adult friend stay with you for the first 24 hours. Make sure your friend drives you to and from the office the day of your surgery. You may not leave the office in a taxi Diet: Maintain a low salt diet to prevent swelling. Drink plenty of clear liquids to prevent dehydration. Do not drink caffeinated hot coffee or alcohol. Do not drink Gatorade, V8 or tomato juice, or high-salt drinks as salt causes increased swelling. Bathing: You may shower or bathe in lukewarm water but keep eyelids dry. Drainage from the lower eyelids can be cleaned off with a wet Q-tip (water only). Refer to #8 Drainage for complete details. Medications: Keep a written record of the times medications are taken. Take medications as prescribed. Do not skip or double-up on medication. Elevate your head and use cold compresses for relief of mild discomfort. Do not take aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications for 10 days after surgery. Alcohol: No alcoholic beverages are allowed for several days prior to and one week after the surgery, or as long as you are taking antibiotics or pain medications. Covering discoloration: Cover creams may be used to camouflage discoloration. Do not put cover creams on sutures or incisions until they are healed (no crusting or moisture are present). The nurse will instruct you on cover creams. Sun: Avoid sun burning your face and the incisions. Wear a hat and protect yourself from the sun to prevent darkening of the incision sites. Remember: You will be swollen at first abut this will resolve quickly. If you have any purple markings on the lower eyelids skin, DO NOT try to rub it off. Just cover it with Makeup. The markings will come off on their own in a few days. If you experience severe pain or a marked increase in swelling with difficulty seeing then please call the surgeon on call immediately