Eyelid surgery
'You look tired.' When you no longer want to hear that sentence.
Hooded lids make you look worn out even when you are not — eventually the mirror sees it, then other people say it. Upper eyelid surgery is the most direct answer to that — when the lid is the cause. Here it is in ophthalmic hands, with lid surgery as a subspecialty in its own right. The aim: more awake, fresher — and not looking operated on.
When upper eyelid surgery is the right thing
Over the years the skin of the lid loses its firmness; excess skin settles onto the lash line. You know the result: the eyes look heavy, tired, sometimes stern — in photographs first, then day to day. Upper eyelid surgery makes sense when:
- the lid crease disappears under excess skin and make-up 'travels',
- you look more tired in photographs than you feel,
- a feeling of heaviness settles over your eyes towards evening,
- or your upper field of view becomes noticeably narrower — in which case we check the medical indication first: out of honesty, and because insurance then pays.
The procedure and healing — without gloss
A consultation at the mirror
You show us what bothers you; we show you what is achievable — and what is not. You learn the line of the incision, the risks, the course of healing and the costs. In writing. After that: as much time to think as you want.
The procedure: around 60 minutes, as an outpatient
In our day clinic, under local anaesthetic, with sedation if you prefer. Excess skin — and muscle or fatty tissue only where necessary — is removed to the millimetre; the suture disappears into the natural lid crease. What a procedure like this does not change is the condition of the skin itself — its texture, its tone, the fine lines in it. That side of things is set out under skin rejuvenation: what can realistically be done for the quality of the skin around the eye.
The first week
Cool it, take it easy, keep your head raised. Swelling and bruising are normal and pass; we remove the sutures after about seven days. Most people are presentable again after 7–14 days.
Aftercare with clear responsibility
Follow-ups until the result has settled. If you have questions you reach us directly, not through a hotline.
The result: you. Just more awake.
Many patients tell us that after the procedure they do not feel 'changed' but like themselves again. That is exactly the measure. We correct as much as necessary and as little as possible — because the lid does not only have to look well, it has to close, protect and wet the eye ten thousand times a day. Anyone who understands the eye behind it never risks that for a millimetre more 'effect'. That this measure holds not only for the upper lid but for the whole field is set out on the overview: aesthetic procedures, measured against the function of the lid.
The tradition behind it
One begins at the eye. The other ends there.
An eyelid lift from plastic and reconstructive lid surgery is not the same as one from plastic surgery that also operates on lids. Lid closure, tear film, protection of the cornea: before any aesthetic procedure we assess what it means for your eye — because we can.
4'000+
Lid operations — reconstructive and aesthetic. The experience behind every incision.
4 years
of direct training under Prof. Richard Collin at Moorfields Eye Hospital London.
1 standard
Aesthetics follow the same medical care as any operation on the eye.
Costs & health insurance
What does the insurer pay for — and what not?
Aesthetic procedures are self-pay — which makes it all the more important that you know exactly what you are paying for, beforehand.
| Service | Coverage | What this means for you |
|---|---|---|
Consultation & examination | Self-pay | Credited against the cost if you go ahead — including an honest check of whether a medical indication exists. |
Aesthetic upper eyelid surgery | Self-pay | A complete written cost breakdown before you decide — procedure, anaesthesia and aftercare included. |
Correction where function is impaired | Basic insurance possible | Where a restriction of the visual field is documented — we establish that before the procedure, not after. See medical eyelid surgery. |
We give you actual figures at the consultation and in the written quotation — blanket prices without an examination would not be serious, because the work and the technique depend on your findings.
Our promise:Before any treatment you receive a complete, itemised cost breakdown in writing — before you decide. Nothing is added to it afterwards.
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Medically reviewed by PD Dr. med. Andrea von Rückmann · Last reviewed
Frequently asked questions
- Our aim is precisely the opposite. The incision lies in the natural lid crease and is practically invisible once healed. We correct conservatively: the result should look as though your lids had simply become lighter and more awake again — not 'done'. The startled or mask-like look comes from over-correction; that is not an option here.
- The procedure is done as an outpatient under local anaesthetic, with light sedation if you prefer — an experienced anaesthetist is present. You feel touch and some pulling, but no pain. Most patients describe the atmosphere afterwards as surprisingly calm: we tell you what is happening as it happens.
- Plan for a good week of social 'time out': swelling and bruising usually settle within 7 to 14 days, and the sutures come out after about a week. Reading and screen work are often possible again after a few days; pause sport and sauna for around two weeks. In fairness to yourself, judge the final result only after some weeks.
- Many years — often ten and more. The operation does not stop ageing, but it sets it back considerably. A serious answer depends on your skin, your anatomy and your lifestyle; what you can realistically expect we tell you at the consultation — at the mirror, not from a brochure.
- Only where the lid demonstrably restricts function — typically with a documented restriction of the visual field. Then it is a medical procedure (see medical eyelid surgery). Aesthetic upper eyelid surgery is self-pay. We examine thoroughly, advise honestly, tell you clearly which category you fall into — and you receive the complete cost breakdown in writing before you decide.
- Every operation carries risks: swelling, bruising, a temporary feeling of dryness, rarely asymmetry or a corrective procedure, very rarely infection. Two things lower the risk measurably: a surgeon who also assesses the lid functionally, and clean aftercare to the same medical standard. Both are standard here — and we give you concrete complication figures in conversation, not in small print.
See what is possible — before you decide.
At the mirror we show you what upper eyelid surgery can achieve in your case, check the medical indication honestly, and set out the procedure and the costs in writing.
Or call us: +41 44 500 69 00 — Mon–Fri 08:00–12:00 / 13:00–17:30