Who Is a Good Candidate for Eyelid Surgery in Lebanon?

The four points

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) lists four features of a good candidate for eyelid surgery:

Healthy, with no medical condition that could impair healing.
A non-smoker.
A positive outlook and realistic goals.
No serious eye condition.

The NHS describes the operation as cosmetic surgery to remove excess skin or fat from the eyelids, changing the look of hooded or drooping eyelids or eye bags. It advises being sure of your reasons first and bearing in mind the risks and the fact that results cannot be guaranteed.

Is the eyelid the cause?

ASPS points out that the eyelids are part of the face: a drooping upper lid can also come from relaxation of the forehead skin and the eyebrow. It can come from a stretched upper eyelid muscle too, called ptosis, which needs a different operation. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) describes ptosis as an upper lid that droops and can limit side or central vision, and describes blepharoplasty as removing excess lid skin, with or without fat.

This matters because the two are easily mistaken for each other. A 2023 study in Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum looked at people who were candidates for upper blepharoplasty. It found ptosis significantly more often when the eyebrows were asymmetrical (75.3% against 3.7%), and concluded that ptosis should be looked for with care in these candidates. A 2025 review in Clinics in Plastic Surgery sets out a systematic approach to the pre-operative evaluation of upper and lower blepharoplasty patients. The difference between upper and lower lid operations is in upper vs lower eyelid surgery, and the non-surgical side is in eyelid surgery or Botox for tired eyes.

Your eyes and your health

The NHS advises discussing the plan with a GP first, because a medical condition affecting the eyelids can make the operation unsuitable. ASPS lists the absence of serious eye conditions among the points for a candidate, and the AAO describes a complete eye exam, photographs of the eyes and a side-vision test before eyelid surgery in ophthalmology practice.

At this practice, surgery is delayed or reconsidered when there is significant dry eye, uncontrolled thyroid eye disease, or a brow that has descended enough that the eyelid is not the real problem.

Medicines and smoking

The surgeon needs to know about any medicine that reduces the risk of blood clots, such as aspirin, warfarin or apixaban (NHS). The AAO asks patients to list all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and supplements, and to mention any bleeding problem. A medicine is never stopped without the doctor who prescribed it.

ASPS lists non-smokers among good candidates. The NHS also advises avoiding smoking after the operation, because smoke can irritate the eyes.

Age and goals

Neither the NHS nor ASPS sets an age for eyelid surgery. At this practice the usual candidate is over forty and bothered by something specific rather than broadly dissatisfied. Being able to say exactly what you want changed is the best sign that surgery will satisfy.

It will not change the shape of the eye, lift the brow or remove crow’s feet. Those are different problems with different answers, covered in eyelid lift in Lebanon: what the term covers.

When to wait or choose something else

When the drooping comes from the brow or from the lid muscle, a different or an added operation is needed (ASPS).
When a medical or eye condition needs treating first (NHS, ASPS).
When the wish is for a change that eyelid surgery does not make, such as a lifted brow or fewer crow’s feet.
When the reasons are not clear to you yet. The NHS advises being sure about your reasons before you go ahead.

Recovery and risks, in brief

These are NHS ranges, not figures for this practice. Most people take about 2 weeks off work, cannot drive for a number of days, and have bruising and redness that can take several weeks to fade. Scarring can be visible and feel tight for a few months. The day-by-day account is in eyelid surgery recovery.

The NHS lists blurred or double vision, uneven eyes, noticeable scarring and changed sensation in the eyelids as occasional results. Rarely it lists injury to the eye muscles, the lower lid drooping away from the eye and turning outwards (ectropion), bleeding into the eye socket and visual impairment.

At this practice

Dr. Vincent ElKhoury, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, examines every patient himself and operates on every eyelid case himself, at Hayek Hospital or Bellevue Medical Center, after a consultation at his clinic in Mansourieh, Metn. What the operation changes and the printed patient information sheet are on the eyelid surgery in Lebanon page, and the questions worth asking are in questions to ask before eyelid surgery in Lebanon. This page is information, not advice, and it does not replace the examination in person.

Questions

FAQ

Who is a good candidate for eyelid surgery?

ASPS lists healthy people with no medical condition that impairs healing, non-smokers, people with a positive outlook and realistic goals, and people without serious eye conditions. The examination confirms whether the eyelid is the cause of the problem.

Is there an age for eyelid surgery?

Neither the NHS nor ASPS sets an age. At this practice the usual candidate is over forty, and what decides is a specific problem the patient can describe.

Can a drooping eyelid come from the brow or the lid muscle?

Yes. ASPS states that a drooping upper lid can also come from relaxation of the forehead skin and eyebrow, or from a stretched upper eyelid muscle called ptosis, which requires a different operation. A 2023 study found ptosis in many upper blepharoplasty candidates with uneven eyebrows.

Do I need an eye examination first?

The NHS advises discussing the plan with a GP, because a medical condition affecting the eyelids can make the operation unsuitable. The AAO describes a complete eye exam and a side-vision test before eyelid surgery in ophthalmology practice, and surgery is reconsidered where there is a serious eye condition.

Does smoking matter for eyelid surgery?

Yes. ASPS lists non-smokers among good candidates, and the NHS advises avoiding smoking after the operation because smoke can irritate the eyes. The surgeon asks about it at the consultation.

Can I have eyelid surgery if I take a blood thinner?

The surgeon needs to know, because the NHS names aspirin, warfarin and apixaban among medicines that affect clot risk. A medicine is never stopped on your own: any change is decided with the doctor who prescribed it.

Sources

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