I just had my eyes done. Are the swelling, hard spots and numbness on my eyelids normal?

Q. I had my eyes done approximately four weeks ago. I went back to the doctor and there were some hard spots on my incisions and my eyelids were numb. Is this normal or should I panic?

A. When I operate on a patient’s upper eyelids, I inform them that swelling in the eyes will last for six weeks and up to one year. Your eyelids likely will be numb for six to eight weeks.

The hardness that patients feel at four weeks is because the maximum contraction in the incision occurs around that time. I routinely see patients at four weeks to explain these issues after surgery. Most times, the hardness and the little balls a person feels at the lateral part of his or her incision goes away.

It is normal to have some dryness for up to six to eight weeks after surgery. You can alleviate this by using artificial tears and forcing yourself to blink. I find people who use computers a lot after their surgery will have the worse problem. I implore them to force themselves to blink several times to lubricate their eyes. This usually resolves, assuming no excessive skin was removed.

In the lower eyelid, some of these issues occur although the loss of sensation is rare. Some patients may have a change in the shape of their eye, or the lower lid may not be positioned correctly. That’s due to chemosis, the swelling on the inside of the eye that pushes the eyelid down. This usually resolves with time.

The key to recovery is to listen to your doctor, ask questions about your post-op recovery and be patient.

Dr. Carlos Wolf is a partner in Miami Plastic Surgery and is board certified. Email questions to him at Cwolf@miamiplasticsurgery.com