upper blepharoplasty

[Dasher789]

Has anyone had upper blepharoplasty through private medical insurance?

My insurance doesn't cover cosmetic procedures according to the terms and conditions, even if they are for a medical requirement so I don't know if it is worth even trying?

To give some background, my eyelids droop, not bad enough to cause vision problems but I often get an itchy left eyelid. Previously used an eczema ointment on it which did nothing then tried caniston as Dr suggested it may be a fungal sweat rash where the skin is sitting on top of other skin. Neither have made any great difference. I also think the sagging makes me look a bit miserable but obviously, this is a side point

Yes it's definitely worth trying. See if you can get your GP to refer you to an oculoplastic surgeon for a functional eyelid assessment (or get that appointment through private care if you can), and the surgeon will assess you and can treat you through private healthcare if they feel there is a medical reason for the surgery.

I haven't done it myself but looked into the surgery and costs recently.

It's worth discussing with your doctor. From what I believe, it's usually only done on medical grounds if it effects your vision. I had an upper blepharoplasty 2 months ago but paid for it privately. I also used to get skin irritation due to the excess skin.

thanks so much. i will get a referral in the first instance and take it from there.

@lan2020 since you had the surgery, has your skin irritation gone away? how was the op and recovery generally and are you happy you did it? thanks for any info

@Dasher789 yes the irritation has gone away, my eyes feel so much lighter and brighter. I used to occasionally lift above my eyelid because I could feel the excess skin but that's no longer an issue.

I have no regrets at all and for me it was a really straightforward process. It was done under local anaesthetic and took around 1.5 hours in total. The surgeon and nurse chatted throughout. I had a bit of a headache after and was slightly sore for a few hours (no pain relief needed). Other than that it was ok. I had some swelling and bruising as expected but within a week you couldn't see I'd had anything done.

I only had skin removed and it was a subtle difference but I'm so happy.
Any questions, just ask.

I'll attach some pics.
First pic is 3 hours after
Second pic 4 days post op
Third pic is one week before and 7 weeks after.

@Lan2020 oh wow, thank you so much, that was so helpful. massively appreciated. your before is very similar to where i am now and your after is what i want great to hear that the irritation has gone too. if i can't get it through insurance i would consider paying myself, it seems to be around £2k where I am which i could afford to pay but would rather insurance would cover it if possible. going to phone the dr tomorrow for a referral!

@Dasher789 good luck. It cost me £3200, this seemed standard in my area (Wales).

@Lan2020 your results look great! Do you mind if I ask where you got them done and how much it was? I've been looking at the prices range in the south anywhere from £2k to £7k!

I have terrible terrible droopy eyelids, always have done, but I'm not sure I could have it done.

@WineGetsMeThroughIt I had them done in a local private hospital in Wales. Don't want to say too much in case I get recognised but if you're local and want the surgeons name, let me know and I'll pm you. It cost me £3200 which seemed standard in this area.

@Oblomov21 what is putting you off getting it done?

Ive been looking into this. My eyelids are resting on my eyelashes. But from what I have read its going to have to be pretty serious to get it on the NHS ie significantly affecting field of vision, and would require an application to the CCG funding panel. So it aint gonna happen.

I am happy to go private. Thanks for the before and after pics @Lan2020 How long before I could go back to work?

How do I go about finding someone good near to me (I am not near Wales!).

@northernlass99 I would recommend this website for finding private surgeons:

www.realself.com/drsearch?keyword=Ptosis%20Surgery&location=Manchester,%20UK&topic_id=&range=30&location_src=autocomplete&lat=53.48&lng=-2.24&city=Manchester&state=England&country=GB

Oooo thanks @dasher789

I have a consultation booked for Monday...