Blepharoplasty cost in Turkey

Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery)

Blepharoplasty is eyelid surgery: extra skin on the upper lid, or bags under the eye, that make the face look tired. An upper lid is not the same job as the lowers, or all four lids in one sitting. It is not a facelift, and it is not a fox-eye or canthopexy quote.

Where included in the written offer, the treating hospital or clinic arranges accommodation and transfers for your stay in Istanbul. The surgeon named on your written quote is the person who operates. To find out how other patients experienced eyelid surgery in Turkey — the first days, the swelling and the weeks after flying home — you can read our blog article on recovery after blepharoplasty in Turkey.

Who is blepharoplasty for?

Surgeons usually consider people who are bothered by hooded upper lids, lower-lid bags, or both, and who are well enough for local anaesthetic with sedation or a general anaesthetic. A cosmetic procedure of this kind is not routinely NHS-funded.

The operation is often postponed if you have an untreated eye condition, if you cannot stop blood-thinners as instructed, or if a long-term condition makes healing less safe. None of this is a promise that you are suitable. That decision is made after photographs of the eyes, your history — including contact lenses and drops — and a personal medical assessment.

What the operation aims to do

The realistic aims are a clearer upper-lid crease and a smoother lower lid, not a different eye shape. The result is not the same on every face, and no clinic can guarantee a particular look. Swelling hides the shape for days; the look you see at the hotel is not the final one.

Techniques used

The surgeon chooses the plan from your lids, not from a package name.

• Upper eyelids: skin that hides the crease. Guide band 1,500–2,200 EUR.
• Lower eyelids: bags or loose skin under the eye. Guide band 1,800–2,600 EUR.
• Four lids: upper and lower in the same sitting. Guide band 2,400–3,200 EUR.

On the lower lid, a transconjunctival approach enters from the inside, with no external scar. A transcutaneous cut is on the outside and leaves a fine mark. There is no “best” technique for everyone. If you also want a facelift, that is another procedure and another quote.

How long the operation takes

Theatre time is usually 1 to 2 hours. Uppers only can be shorter. Four lids can take longer. Combined operations add time. The written plan is the one that counts.

Anaesthetic

Blepharoplasty is done under local anaesthetic with sedation or under general anaesthetic, depending on the plan. If a different plan is safer given your medical history, the anaesthetic team explains that before the day.

Hospital stay

You usually go home the same day or stay 1 night in hospital. That is not the same as the total time in Istanbul. Drops or ointment are given before you leave.

How long to stay in Istanbul

Plan 4 to 6 nights in the city. That window covers the consultation, the operation, swelling checks, suture checks and clearance to fly. Three nights is tight. Seven nights belongs to a different procedure, not this one. The hospital night, if there is one, sits inside those nights; it does not replace them. Discharge is signed by the surgeon — it is not an advertising date.

What to do — and not do — before surgery

What to do

• Send front photographs of the eyes and a clear history — including contact lenses and which drops you use — so you have a written quote before you book flights.
• Bring your usual glasses. You will not want to wear contact lenses in the first days.
• Arrange someone to help you in the first days. Cold packs and a raised head help; you will not want to strain.
• Follow the hospital’s fasting instructions on the day if a general anaesthetic is planned. That list comes from the ward, not from a blog.

What not to do

• Do not stop or start medicines — including blood-thinners, anti-inflammatories or supplements — on your own. The surgeon and anaesthetic team tell you what to change and when.
• Do not smoke if the team has asked you to stop. Smoking raises the risk of poor healing. How long to stop is their instruction.
• Do not book three nights. That is too tight for this protocol.
• Do not treat the operation as a full-face lift.

Recovery

Two timelines matter, and they are not the same.

Daily life and desk work. Cold packs and sleeping with the head raised help in the first days. Bruising and swelling are expected. Light, desk-based work is often possible in 7 to 10 days, once the surgeon is happy. Four lids need more rest than uppers only. Contact lenses wait until the team says so.

Full recovery and sport. Harder exercise, swimming and anything that strains the face wait longer. Most people wait about two to three weeks before the team clears unrestricted training. The shape keeps settling for months; the lids you see after the initial recovery are not the final ones.

Your own pace depends on whether the uppers, the lowers or all four were treated, your job and how you heal. Follow the written aftercare, not a generic calendar.

Before and after drawings

The drawings below show the upper lid and a lower bag. They are not a named patient’s photographs, and they are not a guarantee of result.

The photographs below are illustrative pictures of the associated surgical team in Istanbul. They are not a promise of who will operate; that name is on your written quote.

Questions from you

These notes answer questions people raise before they accept a written treatment plan. They describe what that plan should make clear. They are not a promise that any partner hospital uses a particular technique, device or payment arrangement. With your consent, an enquiry may be shared with an authorised healthcare partner.

Can upper and lower blepharoplasty be done during the same operation?

Yes. Upper- and lower-eyelid surgery can often be performed during the same operation when both areas need treatment; this is sometimes described as four-lid blepharoplasty. The upper and lower eyelids are still assessed separately because they have different anatomical problems and risks. Before combining them, the surgeon should assess dry-eye symptoms, tear-film and eye health, eyelid closure, lower-lid laxity, brow position, previous eye or eyelid surgery and the amount of skin or fat being treated. In some patients a lower-lid support procedure or a different technique may be needed, and significant dry eye or another eye problem may be a reason to postpone or modify surgery.

Before eyelid surgery, how will dry eye and full eyelid closure be checked?

AAO EyeWiki asks that, before lower-eyelid surgery, dry-eye symptoms, eye drops, contact lenses, the tear film, blinking, Bell’s phenomenon, lower-lid laxity, any existing failure to close, and how far the eye sits forward of the cheek are recorded. Uncontrolled dry eye is a reason to defer surgery. An ASPS practice parameter notes that a Schirmer test may be needed when there is a dry-eye history. ASPS teaching material says blepharoplasty may be contraindicated when Bell’s phenomenon is absent, dry eye is severe, or the lid does not close. Lower-lid laxity with a failed snap-back test and distraction of more than 6 mm raises ectropion risk, and a canthopexy or canthoplasty may need to be added. Taking too much skin or orbicularis can stop the lid closing and worsen dry eye. ASPS lists incomplete closure, dry eye, ectropion, lid retraction, temporary or lasting vision change, and very rare blindness among eyelid-surgery risks. Sources: AAO EyeWiki lower eyelid blepharoplasty, ASPS blepharoplasty practice parameter, ASPS eyelid surgery safety.

If vision changes, the eye will not close, the face becomes weak, or a haematoma develops after I go home, what happens and who pays?

The symptoms that need review without delay depend on the operation. After a face, neck, brow or temple lift: rapidly growing swelling on one side, pain, breathlessness or new facial weakness. After eyelid surgery: a lid that will not close, severe pain, an eye being pushed forward, or reduced vision. After facial fat injection: sudden loss of vision. ASPS lists blindness among eyelid-surgery risks, while describing it as very rare. A significant haematoma is treated by evacuation, as described above. Fat in a vessel needs emergency eye assessment. The NHS asks people to settle in writing, before cosmetic surgery abroad, where reviews happen, what further surgery and a return journey cost, and whether the clinic’s insurance covers the patient. Travel insurance usually does not cover surgical complications. Follow-up after an operation in the UK is the surgeon’s responsibility. A clinic abroad may not offer the same follow-up or a doctor in your own country. The NHS uses 7–10 days after facial cosmetic surgery as a planning window before flying, because of clot risk. Your own surgeon gives the personal clearance. This page does not say that any partner pays for admission, revision or the return flight. Sources: NHS advice on cosmetic surgery abroad, ASPS eyelid surgery safety.

Can blepharoplasty fix drooping eyelids that affect my vision?

It may help when excess upper-eyelid skin is the cause of obstruction, but a low eyelid margin (ptosis) or a low brow is a different problem and may need a different or additional plan. An eye and eyelid examination helps distinguish these causes and check vision, eyelid function and eye health. Ask the surgeon to explain what is causing the droop and whether the proposed operation treats that specific cause. AAO EyeWiki describes assessment of eyelid skin, brow position and concurrent ptosis.

Will eyelid surgery change the shape of my eyes?

Standard eyelid surgery is planned to address concerns such as excess eyelid skin or lower-lid bags; it should not be presented as a promise to create a particular eye shape. The aim and likely changes depend on which lids are treated and your anatomy, and early swelling can make the appearance misleading. Ask the surgeon to describe the intended change and its limits before agreeing to the plan. The American Academy of Ophthalmology describes blepharoplasty as removing excess eyelid skin to improve appearance and vision.

When can I wear contact lenses after blepharoplasty?

Follow the operating team's instructions on when to resume contact lenses. Recovery advice varies: for example, one NHS ophthalmology leaflet says contact lenses can typically be worn after two to three weeks once swelling has subsided. Your own timing may differ depending on healing and eye comfort, so bring glasses and ask for the instruction in your written aftercare plan. Imperial College Healthcare NHS guidance gives a typical interval while noting the role of recovery.