Overview
Blepharoplasty is eyelid surgery that removes excess skin from the upper lids, the lower lids, or both. Mayo Clinic describes how aging stretches the lids, weakens the muscles that support them, and lets skin and fat gather above and below the eyes. Sagging eyebrows, droopy upper lids, and bags under the eyes are the changes people usually notice.
Skin that hangs far enough over the upper lid can narrow the upper and outer field of vision. Mayo Clinic notes that surgery can reduce that visual obstruction and can also make the eyes look younger and more alert. It does not replace an eye exam, and it is not a treatment for every cause of tired-looking eyes.
Dr. Fulvio Correa evaluates eyelid surgery in person in Cartagena or by video before any trip is booked. The published estimate for this practice is USD 3,600–4,400 (COP 11,370,000–13,890,000). That range is a planning figure. The written quote after consultation is the one that applies. To start, .
Candidates
Mayo Clinic lists the situations in which eyelid surgery is usually considered:
- Baggy or droopy upper eyelids.
- Excess upper-lid skin that partly blocks peripheral vision, especially the upper and outer field.
- Excess skin on the lower lids.
- Bags under the eyes.
A brow that has dropped can crowd the upper lid even when the lid itself is not the only issue. In that case the conversation may include a brow lift or a facelift rather than eyelid skin alone. Whether those operations belong in the same plan is decided at evaluation, not from a photograph.
Insurance, if any, depends on the payer and on whether vision is impaired. Mayo Clinic says cosmetic-only eyelid surgery is probably not covered. This practice’s estimate is a surgical fee range. It is not an insurance authorization.
Technique
Mayo Clinic describes blepharoplasty as an outpatient operation. The pages below follow that public description. They do not state which anesthetic this practice will use. That plan is confirmed at your evaluation.
Upper eyelids
The incision follows the natural crease of the upper lid. Excess skin is removed. Muscle and, when it is part of the problem, fat may be removed as well. The incision is then closed so the scar sits in the fold.
Lower eyelids
The incision is made just below the lashes, in the natural crease, or on the inside of the lower lid. Fat can be removed or moved, and muscle and sagging skin can be addressed from the same approach. Which of those steps is useful depends on whether the concern is skin, puffiness, or both.
What this page does not add
Mayo Clinic also discusses repair of a drooping lid caused by a weak lifting muscle. This practice has not published that operation as a separate offering, so this page does not describe it as something Dr. Correa performs. If that is the question you came with, say so at consultation and the team will tell you whether it is in scope.
Eyelid surgery can be planned in the same operation as a brow lift, a face-lift, or skin resurfacing. Mayo Clinic lists those combinations. Whether any of them is appropriate is an individual decision.
Stay in Cartagena
Flying home
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons briefing on cosmetic surgery tourism suggests waiting 7 to 10 days after facial procedures, including facelifts, eyelid surgery, and rhinoplasty, before a flight. That is a published planning floor, not a clearance. The number of days this practice recommends for you is confirmed after evaluation. Do not book a nonrefundable return until that conversation has happened.
The first days
Mayo Clinic describes the early course this way: ointment can blur vision; the eyes may water and feel sensitive to light; double vision, puffy numb lids, and swelling and bruising that look like black eyes are common; pain is usually managed with the medicine you are told to use. Ice for about 10 minutes every hour the night of surgery, then four or five times the next day, is the schedule Mayo describes, along with prescribed drops or ointment, sleeping with the head higher than the chest for a few days, cool compresses, and sunglasses outdoors.
Stitches, if they were used, are removed when the surgeon says so. Mayo Clinic does not publish a fixed day count for that visit. If eyelid surgery is combined with a facelift, the Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery has described eyelid stitches in that combined setting around days 3 to 5. Treat that as a published reference for the combination, and confirm your own date in Cartagena.
Specific risks
Mayo Clinic lists risks of blepharoplasty beyond a reaction to anesthesia and blood clots. They include infection and bleeding, dry or irritated eyes, trouble closing the eyes or other lid problems, noticeable scarring, injury to eye muscles, skin discoloration, vision that is blurred for a time, rarely loss of eyesight, and the need for follow-up surgery.
After you leave the operating room, Mayo Clinic says to avoid strenuous activity for about a week: no heavy lifting, swimming, jogging, or aerobics. Do not smoke, do not rub the eyes, and expect to leave contact lenses out for about two weeks. Blood-thinning medicines are paused only on the instructions you are given, not on your own.
Seek care for shortness of breath, chest pain, an unusual heart rate, severe new eye pain, bleeding, or vision problems.
Bruising and swelling generally lessen in about 10 to 14 days. Scars can take months to fade. Eyelid skin should be protected from the sun. For some people the result lasts a long time; droopy lids can come back.
General information from published sources. Your own risks are reviewed at consultation.
Recovery timeline
Night of surgery and the next day
Expect blurred vision from ointment, watering, light sensitivity, and lids that look bruised and feel numb. Mayo Clinic describes ice for about 10 minutes every hour that first night, then four or five times the following day, with the head kept above the chest.
The first week
Strenuous activity stays off the schedule: no heavy lifting, swimming, jogging, or aerobics. Do not rub the eyes. Stitch removal, if stitches were placed, is timed by the surgeon rather than by a fixed public day count.
About 10 to 14 days
Bruising and swelling generally lessen in this window. The ASPS tourism briefing suggests 7 to 10 days after eyelid surgery before flying. Your clearance can be later than that floor. Contacts usually wait about two weeks.
Months
Scars fade over months. Sun protection on the lids continues. A result can last many years, and lid heaviness can return as the face keeps aging.
When lower-face and neck laxity are part of the same plan, read the Facelift
Eyelid surgery cost in Colombia
- Blepharoplasty: USD 3,600–4,400 (COP 11.370.000–13.890.000)
This is an approximate estimate based on previous cases; sometimes the fee has been lower and sometimes higher, depending on the case. The real quote always comes after the virtual or in-person consultation. It does not commit the doctor to charge that amount or to operate.
Questions about Blepharoplasty
How much does eyelid surgery cost in Colombia?
The published estimate for blepharoplasty with this practice is USD 3,600–4,400 (COP 11,370,000–13,890,000). It is an approximate range from previous cases. The real quote is written after a virtual or in-person consultation and does not commit the doctor to charge that amount or to operate.
Is blepharoplasty the same as a brow lift?
No. Blepharoplasty treats eyelid skin and, when needed, eyelid fat and muscle. A dropped brow is a different structure. Mayo Clinic notes the operations can be combined. Whether yours should be is decided at evaluation.
Will eyelid surgery fix my vision?
Only in the specific situation Mayo Clinic describes: severely sagging upper-lid skin that reduces the upper and outer visual field. It is not a treatment for refractive errors, and it does not replace an eye exam.
How long should I stay in Cartagena after blepharoplasty?
The ASPS briefing on cosmetic surgery tourism suggests 7 to 10 days after facial procedures, including eyelid surgery, before flying. This practice confirms the recommended stay after evaluation. Do not treat the briefing as your clearance.
When do the bruises fade?
Mayo Clinic says bruising and swelling generally lessen in about 10 to 14 days. Scars can take months to fade, and the lids should be protected from the sun while they do.
Can I wear contact lenses afterward?
Mayo Clinic says to leave contacts out for about two weeks and not to rub the eyes. Your own date is the one written in your instructions.