Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) in Türkiye

What it is

Blepharoplasty is surgery on the eyelids to remove excess skin or fat, or to change the look of hooded or drooping lids and eye bags.

On the upper lid, the surgeon cuts along the natural crease, removes excess skin, fat or muscle, and closes the cut; the scar usually lies hidden in the fold. On the lower lid, the cut is just below the lower lashes or on the inside of the lid; fat under the eye is repositioned or removed, sometimes with a little skin, and the supporting muscles and tendons may be tightened before it is closed. Some people have only upper lids, some only lower, some both: a quote should say which.

Who it is for, and who it is not for

People choose it for a tired or heavy look, or because loose skin weighs on the lid. Talk to your own GP first, because a medical condition or another reason may make surgery unsuitable. Tell the surgeon about any blood-thinning medicine, such as aspirin, warfarin or apixaban.

In the UK this is regarded as cosmetic surgery and is not routinely funded by the health service. Photographs shown by a clinic are not a promise of your result. Some people do not get the result they wanted and want another operation.

How it is done in Türkiye

Expect a local or a general anaesthetic, an operation of about 45 minutes to 2.5 hours depending on how many lids are treated, and in most cases a same-day discharge. Suture strips go on afterwards and come off up to a week later, so plan for at least one check by the surgeon before you leave.

The register's treatment list files eyelid surgery under ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery. Plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery is a five-year specialty in Türkiye. We could not verify from Turkish rules which specialties may perform eyelid surgery, so ask for the surgeon's specialty and a copy of the specialty certificate in writing, rather than accepting a title such as "aesthetic doctor".

On facility type, the Ministry's rules for outpatient facilities let a medical centre operate only under a surgical permit limited to the specialties named on it; patients graded ASA 3 or above (a standard anaesthetic risk grade) cannot be operated on there, and observation is limited to 24 hours. A polyclinic may not run around the clock or have an emergency unit. A hospital can admit you overnight. Eyelid surgery is often a short operation, but we found no rule that ties it to one facility type, so ask for the place in writing.

The register records that a facility is authorised to treat international patients; each facility enters its own treatment list, and the authorisation does not certify the procedure.

What to check before you book

• The surgeon, by name, their specialty, and whether they will do the operation themselves. Compare the name with the register; see how to check a doctor.
• The place, its type and authorisation number: how to read one.
• The anaesthesia plan: local or general, and the name and specialty of whoever gives and monitors it.
• Two consultations, the first in person with the surgeon, with a cooling-off period between them, as UK guidance advises.
• Your eyes before surgery: whether your vision, tear production and any eye disease have been checked, and by whom.
• The flight home: 7 to 10 days is the UK public-health figure for facial procedures; get the surgeon's clearance in writing.
• Aftercare: who removes the strips, who you contact about vision changes, and in what language.
• Records: operation note, anaesthetic record if used, discharge summary, and your file. In Türkiye you may inspect your file and take a copy: what records to ask for.

Our longer guide is eyelid surgery in Türkiye.

What a package must state

• Which lids: upper, lower, or both, and whether skin, fat or muscle is treated.
• Local or general anaesthetic, and the anaesthetist's name.
• Facility name, type, address and authorisation number; surgeon's name and specialty.
• Number of nights, if any.
• Consultations, the date of surgery, the check at about a week, and the minimum stay.
• Eye drops, ointments and medicines included or charged separately.
• Follow-up after you return home, how, and for how long.
• Who treats and who pays for a complication or a revision, and in which country.
• The documents you will be given when you leave.

Risks, complications and aftercare

Expected for a few weeks: puffy, numb eyelids that are hard to close fully; irritated, sensitive or watery eyes; bruising; scars that should fade. Occasionally: blurred or double vision, uneven eyes, noticeable scarring, changed feeling in the lids. Rare and serious: injury to an eye muscle, the lower lid turning outwards (ectropion), bleeding into the eye socket and visual impairment, although vision may improve over time. General surgical risks apply too: excessive bleeding, a blood clot in a vein, infection and a reaction to the anaesthetic.

Aftercare in the first days: rest with your head propped up, clean the lids with the prescribed ointment or drops, a cold pack for swelling, sunglasses outdoors, paracetamol-type painkillers. Avoid strenuous activity and swimming for a few days, smoking, contact lenses and rubbing your eyes. Do not drive for several days.

Seek help at once for severe pain or a change in vision, from the clinic and from local urgent care. See aftercare abroad and how to complain.

Questions to ask in writing

• Who will operate, and what is their specialty? Please send the certificate.
• Where will the operation take place, and what kind of facility is it?
• Is the anaesthetic local or general, and who gives it?
• Which lids and which tissues will be treated, and what are the scars?
• What eye checks do you do before surgery?
• Who removes the strips, and when, and may I fly afterwards?
• Who do I contact about vision changes, in which language, and how fast will you answer?
• If I need a revision, who does it, where, and who pays?
• Which documents will I receive when I leave?
• Can I see the contract and the cancellation terms before paying any deposit?

To have a named clinic checked, see the Research Pass.

This page is an information service, not medical advice. Clinimora is an independent, patient-funded research service. It does not sell treatment, does not diagnose and does not recommend any clinic.