Tired-looking eyes, heavy or hooded upper lids, and puffy under-eye bags can make you look older and more exhausted than you feel. Eyelid surgery, known medically as blepharoplasty, removes or repositions the excess skin, muscle, and fat around the eyes to restore a rested, natural, more youthful look. Performed personally by Dr. Rajesh Vasu at Apollo Hospitals, Financial District, the procedure refreshes the eyes without changing what makes them yours.
1 to 2 hours
Local with sedation
5 to 7 days
Long-lasting
Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure that removes or repositions excess skin, muscle, and fat from the upper or lower eyelids to correct drooping, puffiness, and a tired appearance.
The eyes are the first thing people notice and the first place ageing shows. Skin loses elasticity, fat pads shift forward, and the muscles around the eye weaken. The result is heavy upper lids, under-eye bags, or both, often making a person look tired or older regardless of how they actually feel.
Eyelid surgery addresses this directly. For the upper eyelid, excess skin and fat are removed through an incision hidden in the natural crease. For the lower eyelid, bags and excess skin are corrected through an incision just below the lash line or, in some cases, from inside the lid with no external scar at all.
When performed by a plastic surgeon, the goal is never to change the shape of your eyes. It is to remove what ageing added and restore what was always there, so the result looks like a well-rested version of you, not an operated-on version of someone else.
For heavy, hooded, tired upper lids.
Upper eyelid surgery, sometimes called an upper bleph, is the most common form of eyelid surgery. It corrects the heaviness and hooding that develops as the upper lid skin loses elasticity and begins to fold over the lash line.
For some people the concern is purely cosmetic, the eyes look tired or older. For others, the excess skin is heavy enough to droop into the field of vision, particularly at the outer edges. In these cases the surgery is partly functional, restoring clear sight as well as appearance.
The procedure takes around an hour, uses local anaesthesia with light sedation, and the incision sits hidden in the natural fold of the upper lid. Most patients return to work within a week.
If your concern is a monolid or an undefined crease rather than excess skin, that is a different procedure called double eyelid surgery, which creates a crease rather than removing skin. Dr. Vasu performs both. Ask about double eyelid surgery during your consultation.
For under-eye bags and puffiness.
Lower eyelid surgery corrects the puffiness, bags, and loose skin that develop beneath the eyes. The cause is fat pads pushing forward and skin losing its tightness, which is why a person can look permanently tired even after a full night of sleep.
The technique depends on the concern. Where the issue is mainly puffiness with good skin quality, the fat can be repositioned or removed through an incision inside the lower lid, leaving no visible scar at all. Where there is excess skin too, a fine incision just below the lash line addresses both skin and fat, healing to a nearly invisible line.
Lower eyelid surgery is more technically demanding than upper lid work, which is exactly why the choice of surgeon matters. Done well, the under-eye area looks smooth and rested. Done poorly, it can pull the lower lid downward or hollow the eye. This is plastic surgery, not a quick cosmetic fix.
The honest answer on non-surgical options.
This is one of the most common questions patients ask, and it deserves a straight answer.
For mild, early changes, non-surgical options can help. Botox can lift a mildly heavy brow that contributes to upper lid heaviness. Energy-based treatments like radiofrequency can tighten skin slightly. Good skincare and eye creams can improve skin texture and fine lines.
But none of these can remove excess skin or reposition fat. Once the upper lid skin has folded over or under-eye bags have formed, no cream, massage, or non-surgical treatment will correct it. The structural change requires surgery.
If your concern is mild, Dr. Vasu will tell you honestly that you may not need surgery yet. If it is structural, he will explain why surgery is the only reliable option, and what the realistic outcome would be. Either way, you leave the consultation knowing the truth, not a sales pitch.
Dr. Vasu examines your eyelids, may arrange an eye check with an ophthalmologist, marks the planned correction, and confirms the technique. You will be advised to stop blood thinners, smoking, and alcohol two weeks before.
The eyelid area is numbed and light sedation keeps you relaxed and comfortable. You are not under general anaesthesia for most cases.
Excess skin and fat are removed or repositioned through incisions hidden in the natural eyelid crease or below the lash line. Fine sutures close the incisions to heal almost invisibly.
You go home the same day. You will leave with cold compresses, eye ointment, and a clear written recovery plan.
Expect swelling, mild bruising, and watering of the eyes. Cold compresses and prescribed eye drops keep you comfortable. Sleep with your head elevated.
The worst swelling settles. Many patients begin working from home once comfortable, though screens may strain the eyes initially.
Most patients return to work within 5 to 7 days. Sutures, if non-dissolvable, are removed around this time. Bruising can be covered with light makeup.
Contact lenses can usually be resumed after 1 to 2 weeks. Swelling and bruising have largely resolved.
The eyelids feel soft and look refreshed. Scars continue to fade. Avoid smoking, alcohol, and excessive eye strain for the first few weeks for the best result.
Eyelid surgery is among the most delicate work in plastic surgery. The margins are measured in millimetres. Remove too much skin and the eye cannot close properly. Misjudge the lower lid and it pulls downward. The difference between a refreshed, natural result and an operated-on look is entirely in the surgeon’s judgement and hands.
Performed in a fully accredited tertiary care hospital, with on-site ophthalmology support, sterile theatre, and advanced monitoring. The safety infrastructure that surgery this close to the eye demands.
Performed personally by Dr. Vasu, with plastic surgery technique applied to every case, fine sutures, hidden incisions, conservative judgement refined over 30 years.
Dr. Rajesh Vasu has 30+ years of clinical experience and 5,000+ procedures performed. He is a member of ISAPS, internationally trained in aesthetic surgery at one of Europe’s most respected institutes.
The cost of eyelid surgery in Hyderabad depends on several factors: whether you are having upper, lower, or both eyelids done, the complexity of your case, and whether the procedure is purely cosmetic or partly functional.
Rather than quote a misleading single figure, Dr. Vasu discusses pricing transparently during your consultation and provides a written treatment plan before anything is scheduled. The plan covers the surgeon’s fee, the hospital and anaesthesia charges, and follow-up visits, with no hidden costs added later.
For patients comparing India with treatment abroad, eyelid surgery in Hyderabad offers internationally trained surgical expertise at a fraction of the cost of the same procedure in the UK, US, or Gulf.
Real patients. Real repairs. All photographs published with written consent.
Patient 1 · Female, 34 3 months post
Patient 2 · Female, 34 3 months post
Patient 3 · Female, 34 3 months post
Individual results vary. Photographs are representative, not guaranteed outcomes. Consultation required to assess suitability.
The cost depends on whether you are having upper, lower, or both eyelids done, and the complexity of your case. Pricing is discussed transparently during your consultation, with a written treatment plan provided before the procedure is scheduled. Eyelid surgery in India is significantly more affordable than the same procedure in the UK, US, or Gulf, with the same internationally trained surgical standard.
For mild, early changes, Botox or energy-based skin tightening can help slightly. But once the upper lid skin has folded over or under-eye bags have formed, no cream, massage, Ayurvedic remedy, or non-surgical treatment can remove excess skin or reposition fat. The structural change requires surgery. Dr. Vasu will tell you honestly whether you need surgery or not.
Yes. An experienced plastic surgeon does not change the shape of your eyes unless that is specifically the goal. The aim is to remove what ageing added and restore a rested look. There are no tell-tale signs of surgery. You look like a refreshed version of yourself.
Yes. An experienced plastic surgeon does not change the shape of your eyes unless that is specifically the goal. The aim is to remove what ageing added and restore a rested look. There are no tell-tale signs of surgery. You look like a refreshed version of yourself.
There is no single best age. Most patients are between 35 and 65, when ageing changes become noticeable. Some younger patients with hereditary under-eye bags or heavy lids choose surgery in their late 20s or early 30s. The right time is when the concern bothers you and a consultation confirms surgery will help.
The procedure itself is painless because of local anaesthesia with sedation. Afterwards, most patients describe mild discomfort rather than pain, easily managed with prescribed medication. Swelling and watering of the eyes are more noticeable than pain in the first few days.
Upper eyelid surgery takes around an hour. Lower eyelid surgery or combined upper and lower surgery takes one to two hours. It is a day care procedure, you go home the same day.
Most patients return to work within 5 to 7 days. Swelling and bruising largely settle within 1 to 2 weeks. Contact lenses can be resumed after 1 to 2 weeks. The final refreshed result settles over 3 to 6 weeks.
It makes you look rested and refreshed rather than dramatically younger. By removing the heaviness and puffiness that signal tiredness and ageing, the eyes look brighter and more alert. The effect is subtle and natural, not a transformation.
Eyelid surgery is a well-established, low-risk procedure when performed by a qualified plastic surgeon in an accredited hospital. As with any surgery, there are small risks of bleeding, infection, temporary dryness, or asymmetry. These are discussed during consultation and managed with strict surgical protocol.
Regret is uncommon when the surgery is done by an experienced plastic surgeon and the patient has realistic expectations. The most common cause of dissatisfaction elsewhere is over-removal of skin or an unnatural result, which is precisely why conservative judgement and surgical experience matter. An honest consultation that sets realistic expectations is the best protection against regret.
A 15 to 20 minute consultation with Dr. Vasu is the simplest way to know. He examines your eyelids, discusses the realistic outcome, and gives you a clear plan with no obligation to proceed.
Whether the concern is heavy upper lids, under-eye bags, or simply looking more tired than you feel, eyelid surgery is one of the most rewarding procedures Dr. Vasu performs. A 15 to 20 minute consultation, in person at Apollo Hospitals or virtual, is the simplest first step. No pressure to proceed. Just honest, expert advice.