As people age, the eyelids stretch, and the muscles supporting them weaken. As a result, excess fat may gather above and below the eyelids, causing sagging eyebrows, drooping upper lids and bags under the eyes. Cosmetic eyelid surgery, also called blepharoplasty, is a surgical procedure to improve the appearance of the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both, and give a rejuvenated appearance to the surrounding area of the eyes, making the person look more rested and alert.

Blepharoplasty is usually done in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia. The surgery usually takes one to three hours and the patient can leave the hospital later that day to recuperate at home. After the surgery the eyelids may be puffy and feel numb for several days