Contents
Your recovery at a glance
- Off work
- Week 2: Can return to desk work, light household tasks
- Driving
- Week 2: Can start driving when vision clear and comfortable
- Showering
- Days 1–3: Rest; showering is fine but keep the eye area dry
- Exercise
- Weeks 2–3: Light exercise (walking), avoid heavy lifting
- Your garment
- 2–3 weeks: Short flights acceptable (under 3 hours, compression socks)
- First review
- Week 1 (Days 6–7) – Nurse Appointment
- Full recovery
- 1–2 weeks initial recovery, 3–6 months for final results
This is a general guide for the average patient. Your own instructions come with your discharge information and in your recovery guide in the Waterfront patient app, and they come first.
Before you leave the hospital
- Medications: Pain medications collected. Take painkillers regularly for the first 3 days – don’t wait for pain to develop.
- Chloramphenicol eye ointment: Apply into the eye at bedtime (not on the suture line). It protects the eye and stops it drying out overnight, usually 1 week is enough.
- Gauze for compresses: Gauze provided for wet compresses. Use cooled boiled water.
- Compression stockings: Given if applicable for DVT prevention (especially if general anaesthetic used).
- Follow-up appointment: Booked with nurse for days 6–7 for stitch removal.
- Transport home: A responsible adult must take you home and stay overnight.
- Laxatives: Provided if needed (prevents constipation from medications).
Week by week
Days 1–3 Early recovery
What is normal
- Significant swelling (eyes may swell shut)
- Black eyes appearance
- Blurred or double vision
- Light bleeding or oozing
- Tightness and discomfort
- If fat transfer: soreness at donor site (thigh/tummy)
What to do
- Cool compresses if soothing (optional, mainly for comfort)
- Keep your head comfortably raised when resting where you can
- Clean eyes gently with cotton bud and cooled boiled water
- Take pain medications regularly
- Walk around every few hours (prevents blood clots)
- No shower or bath – use wet wipes only
- Keep all stitches completely dry
Days 4–7 Improving daily
What is normal
- Swelling starting to reduce
- Bruising spreading down face (gravity)
- Vision clearing
- Less pain, more tightness
- Mood may fluctuate (this is normal!)
What to do
- Can shower from neck down
- Cool compresses as often as feels comfortable (optional)
- Gentle walks outside (wear sunglasses)
- Head raised when resting, if comfortable
- Nurse appointment for stitch removal (typically days 6–7)
- Stitches removed (painless procedure)
- Wounds examined and lower eyelid position checked
Week 2 Progressive healing
What is normal
- Most bruising fading, yellowing appearance
- Swelling reducing significantly
- Vision returning to normal
- Eyes may feel dry or watery
- Scars still pink but fading
What to do
- Can shower and wet wounds
- Begin gentle scar massage (Week 2 onwards)
- Can use concealer makeup
- Return to desk work
- Start driving (if comfortable and vision clear)
- Light household activities
Weeks 3–4 Near normal appearance
What is normal
- Most swelling resolved
- Bruising nearly gone
- Eyes may feel dry or watery
- Scars still pink but fading
- Eyes returning to normal function
What to do
- Begin light exercise (walking, light gym)
- Continue scar massage (2-3 times daily for 3 minutes)
- Apply moisturiser for scar care (E45 or similar)
- Avoid heavy lifting for 4 weeks total
- Can apply makeup normally (new products only for eyes)
- Can wear contact lenses again (very clean hands)
- Normal work routines
Months 2–3 Final healing
What is normal
- Final healing occurring
- Scars pink/red but progressively fading (longer if under 45)
- Complete return to normal vision
- Full appearance restoration
What to do
- Full activities including swimming (3 months post-op)
- Resume full exercise routine (gym, sports)
- Continue scar care with massages and sun protection
- Can return to all water activities
- Long-distance flying acceptable (3–4 weeks for flights over 3 hours)
- Massage fat transfer donor sites gently after 3 weeks
Month 3 – 12 Final result
What is normal
- Final results visible
- Scars gradually fade to white
- Complete return to all activities
- Confident with appearance
- Scar maturation timeline: Pink/red for 3–6 months (longer if under 45), then gradually fading
What to do
- Scars fade progressively over 12 months
- Continue sun protection on scars
- All activities permitted
- Regular exercise including swimming
- Annual check-ups as recommended
- Final scar appearance at 12 months
Wound care and scars
- You can shower and bath, but keep the eye area completely dry, tilt your head back and avoid direct spray to the face
- Gently clean eyes with cotton bud and cooled boiled water
- Apply the prescribed chloramphenicol ointment into the eye at bedtime, it also stops the eye drying out overnight
- Week 1: Nurse appointment for painless stitch removal
- After stitch removal: Can wet the eye area gently
- Week 2 onwards: Can shower normally and wet wounds
- Begin gentle scar massage from week 2 (after nurse check)
- Apply plain moisturiser (E45) for scar care
- Lower eyelid scars: Very gentle upward strokes only
- Outer corners: May feel lumpy for months – gentle massage helps
Comfort and pain relief
- Take your painkillers as directed on their labels, every medicine you go home with is labelled with its dose and frequency, and your nurse will go through them with you before you leave. Paracetamol and ibuprofen can safely be taken together
- Take painkillers on schedule (don’t wait for pain)
- Codeine: 1-2 tablets every 6 hours if prescribed, max 8 tablets daily
- Most pain subsides significantly after first week
- Swelling typically peaks at 48–72 hours, then gradually decreases
- Cool compresses are optional but can be soothing in the first few days
Scar care and massage
When to Start, Begin scar massage from week 2, after your nurse appointment confirms healing is progressing well.
Massage Technique
- Clean hands thoroughly
- Apply plain moisturiser (E45 or similar)
- Use fingertip in small circles along scar line
- Massage along entire scar line (including both upper and lower lids)
- Include outer corners where lumps may form
- Perform 2-3 times daily for 3 minutes
- Special Areas
- Lower lid scars: Very gentle upward strokes only – lower lids are delicate
- Outer corners: May feel lumpy for months – gentle massage helps break down tissue
- Fat transfer sites: Gently massage donor area (thigh/tummy) after 3 weeks
- Scar Timeline
- 3–6 months: Pink/red appearance (longer if under 45 years old)
- 6–12 months: Gradually fade to white
- 12 months: Final result achieved – scars become much less noticeable
Lifestyle guidelines
✓ DO
- Sleep propped up on extra pillows if comfortable
- Cool compresses if you find them soothing
- Walk regularly (prevents blood clots)
- Wear sunglasses outdoors (UV protection)
- Keep wounds clean and dry
- Take laxatives if constipated
- Attend all appointments
- Be patient with healing
- ✗ AVOID
- Rubbing or pulling eyes
- Bending over or straining
- Heavy lifting for 4 weeks
- Smoking (delays healing)
- Alcohol while taking painkillers, and ideally while swelling is settling (first 1–2 weeks)
- Hot showers/baths (first week)
- Swimming until wounds are fully healed (about 4 weeks)
- Rushing back to activities
Activity, driving and work
- Days 1–3: Rest; showering is fine but keep the eye area dry
- Days 4–7: Continue keeping the eye area dry when washing; gentle walks with sunglasses
- Week 2: Can return to desk work, light household tasks
- Weeks 2–3: Light exercise (walking), avoid heavy lifting
- Weeks 3–4: Begin light gym exercise (start at 50% intensity)
- Week 2 onwards: Can apply makeup after 2 weeks (new eye products only)
- Weeks 2–3: Can wear contact lenses again (clean hands essential)
- Week 2: Can start driving when vision clear and comfortable
- Weeks 3–4: Can resume normal work (office-based)
- 3–4 weeks: Physical work – after heavy lifting restrictions lifted
- 4–6 weeks: Resume full gym exercise with surgeon approval
- About 4 weeks: Swimming, once the wounds are fully healed (goggles help if your eyes feel irritable)
- 2–3 weeks: Short flights acceptable (under 3 hours, compression socks)
- 3–4 weeks: Long-distance flights (over 3 hours, move regularly)
- Avoid bending over or straining for 4 weeks
- Never rub or pull eyes
Follow-up appointments
- Week 1 (Days 6–7) – Nurse Appointment: Essential stitch removal and wound check appointment. Stitches removed (painless procedure); Wounds examined for proper healing; Lower eyelid position checked; Advice on scar massage techniques; Questions answered about home care
- Further nurse reviews, as needed: Some patients need further nurse reviews. If so, the nurses will arrange these with you and will discharge you from nurse-led care once they are happy your wounds have healed.
- Around 6 months: surgeon review (final follow-up): Your surgeon will usually see you at around 6 months to assess your final result. Your surgeon is always available to review you sooner if required, and in some circumstances may wish to see you before your final follow-up.
Common questions
My eyes look completely swollen shut – is this normal?
Yes, severe swelling is common with combined surgery. As long as the swelling is soft (not hard), it will reduce over 3–5 days. This is completely normal.
When will I look presentable for work/social events?
Most patients feel comfortable in public with makeup after 2–3 weeks. Full healing takes 4–6 weeks. Bruising yellows and spreads down face (due to gravity) before fading.
Why do my cheeks hurt if I had fat transfer?
The donor site (thigh or tummy) will be sore for 1–2 weeks. This is normal and improves quickly. Gentle massage after 3 weeks helps.
Can I cry or laugh?
Yes, but it may feel uncomfortable initially. Normal emotions won’t harm your results. Be gentle with facial expressions for the first week.
When will the watering/dryness improve?
Eye irritation (dryness or watering) is common for 2–3 months. Use preservative-free artificial tear drops available from any pharmacy.
Is it normal to regret having surgery?
Mood changes are very common when swollen and bruised. You’ll feel much better as healing progresses. Most patients are delighted with their results once swelling has resolved.
Your guide in the patient app
Your recovery guide in the Waterfront patient app is the personal, dated version of this page, with your own instructions, your appointments and the hospital’s contact details.
Download the printed leaflet (PDF)
Your discharge information and your recovery guide in the Waterfront patient app tell you who to contact and when. If you have any concerns about your recovery, contact the hospital using the details you were given.