Blepharoplasty
Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, removes excess skin, fat, and muscle from the upper or lower eyelids. It treats drooping upper lids, under-eye bags, and peripheral vision obstructed by sagging skin. The surgery is performed in our Fresno outpatient facility under local anesthesia or sedation, and most patients are back to regular activities within 7 to 10 days.
Book a consultationWhat is
Blepharoplasty?
Blepharoplasty, also known as eyelid surgery, removes excess skin, fat, and muscle from the upper or lower eyelids. It addresses the concerns that make the eyes look heavier than you feel: drooping upper lids, under-eye bags, and the peripheral vision that sagging skin can obstruct.
That gives the procedure two sides. Aesthetically, it reduces the signs of aging around the eyes, including loose skin and puffiness, for a more refreshed and alert appearance. Functionally, when upper-lid skin has dropped far enough to sit in your line of sight, removing it can give you back the edge of your field of view.
It starts with a consultation. Dr. Mafi reviews your medical history, examines your eyelids, and discusses what concerns you most. From there, he develops a personalized surgical plan based on your individual anatomy and goals. Before surgery, you will receive detailed guidance on which medications to temporarily stop, when they can be safely resumed, and instructions to help support a smooth recovery and optimal healing.
The surgery is performed in our outpatient facility under local anesthesia or sedation, depending on Dr. Mafi’s recommendation for your surgery. On the upper lid, excess tissue is removed through an incision set in the eyelid’s natural crease. On the lower lid, the incision sits just below the lash line or inside the lid, so fat can be removed or redistributed and loose skin tightened.
Expect mild swelling, bruising, and temporary changes in vision afterward. Most patients resume regular activities within 7 to 10 days, with steady improvement over the first one to two weeks and scars that fade over time.
Patients often describe feeling rejuvenated and more confident, with results that can last for many years.
The two are different operations with different incisions, and which one you need depends on what is actually causing the heaviness. That is settled by examining the eyelids, not by the symptom alone.
Upper-lid incisions follow the natural crease of the eyelid. Lower-lid incisions are placed just below the lash line, or inside the lid entirely, where nothing shows on the surface.
When excess upper-lid skin obstructs your peripheral vision, the same procedure that lightens the look of the eye also clears what you can see.
Blepharoplasty can be performed on its own, or combined with other procedures such as a brow lift or facial rejuvenation, depending on what you want to change.
Am I a candidate for blepharoplasty?
Heavy lids read as tired. Removing the excess restores a refreshed, more alert eye.
Blepharoplasty follows an examination of your eyelids and a conversation about what you want to change. It may help patients with:
Drooping Upper Eyelids
Excess skin on the upper lid that hoods the eye.
Under-Eye Bags
Puffiness or fullness below the eye that no longer settles.
Obstructed Peripheral Vision
Upper-lid skin that has dropped into the edge of your field of view.
Signs of Aging Around the Eye
Sagging skin and puffy eyelids that have come on gradually.
A Tired Appearance
Eyes that read as tired to other people when you are not.
Loose Lower-Lid Skin
Slackness beneath the eye where the skin needs tightening.
The eyes open.The face follows.
Each case below is one patient of Dr. Mafi, photographed in the same position before surgery and after healing. Drag the seam to compare. Most of the change is in the upper lid, where excess skin stops shading the eye.
See the full galleryIndividual results vary. These are patients of Dr. Mafi, photographed at Mafi Plastic Surgery, and published with their permission. They are not a guarantee of your own outcome.
Common questions about blepharoplasty
The cost of eyelid surgery depends on whether you are having your upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both treated, as well as the anesthesia and facility time needed for your procedure. Because every surgery is customized to your needs, your personalized cost will be provided after your consultation. We offer financing options through CareCredit, Cherry, and PatientFi, which allow you to spread the cost into monthly payments. Our team is happy to help you with the application process and answer any questions you may have.
What does eyelid surgery cost, and can I pay over time?
The cost of eyelid surgery depends on whether you are having your upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both treated, as well as the anesthesia and facility time needed for your procedure. Because every surgery is customized to your needs, your personalized cost will be provided after your consultation. We offer financing options through CareCredit, Cherry, and PatientFi, which allow you to spread the cost into monthly payments. Our team is happy to help you with the application process and answer any questions you may have.
A Clearer,
More Rested Eye
If heavy lids have started to make you look tired, or excess skin is narrowing what you can see, a consultation with Dr. Mafi is where you find out what eyelid surgery would actually do for you.
Prefer to talk? Call (559) 890-6500.
Medically reviewed by Parham Mafi, M.D., F.A.C.S., board-certified plastic surgeon at Mafi Plastic Surgery. This page is for education and is not a substitute for a personalized medical consultation.
Last medically reviewed August 2026Updated