Reviews and before-and-after photos show results. They do not show how a surgeon assesses your eyes or what happens if something goes wrong after you fly home. This guide lists the questions that published guidance suggests asking before you book, and why each one matters when the surgery is abroad.

Key takeaways

  • EyeWiki describes a full assessment before upper eyelid surgery as covering eye history, vision, eye pressure, tear production and eyelid function.
  • The American Academy of Ophthalmology lists dry eyes as a relative contraindication to upper eyelid surgery and worsening dry eye as a possible complication.
  • BAPRAS notes that a surgeon's training is harder to check abroad and that most overseas clinics offer limited or no aftercare once patients are home.
  • The NHS suggests asking how many of a surgeon's operations have had complications and what follow-up to expect if things go wrong.

It does not cover price or the calendar. For those, see our guides to eyelid surgery cost in Turkey and how long to stay.

Who will operate, and how can you check them?

Start with a name. The NHS page on eyelid surgery suggests researching “the surgeon or ophthalmologist” who is going to do the operation. In the UK, the NHS says every doctor must at least be on the General Medical Council register, and it suggests also asking how many of their operations have had complications and what follow-up to expect if things go wrong.

Checking is harder across a border. BAPRAS, the UK association of plastic surgeons, says other countries use different systems and that it “is not easy to find out” whether a surgeon overseas is fully trained. Its advice is to ask what training and qualifications the surgeon has and which organisations they belong to, and to meet them before committing.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) consultation checklist adds questions about the facility: whether it is accredited or licensed, and where and how the procedure will be done. Our guide to the influencer trap in aesthetic surgery explains why a large following is not a credential, and our article on online reviews covers what reviews can and cannot tell you.

What should the eye examination before surgery cover?

Eyelid surgery sits next to the eye, so the assessment is not only about skin. EyeWiki, the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s clinical encyclopedia, lists what a full workup for upper eyelid surgery includes:

  • History: previous eye conditions and surgeries, dry eye symptoms and treatments, medical conditions that affect healing, all medicines including blood thinners and herbal supplements, and smoking.
  • Eyelid examination: excess skin and fat, crease height, whether the lid itself droops (ptosis), brow position, and whether the eyes close fully.
  • Eye examination: visual acuity, eye pressure, the surface of the eye and tear production.
  • Visual field testing where drooping skin blocks vision, and photographs before surgery.

Some of this needs equipment and an in-person visit. When a clinic abroad quotes after seeing only photos, ask when and where the examination will happen, who will do it, and whether surgery could be cancelled on the day if the findings change the plan. Bring copies of any recent eye test and a list of your medicines.

Why does a history of dry eye matter?

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) page on upper eyelid surgery lists dry eyes and a weak blink among relative contraindications, meaning factors that call for caution rather than ruling surgery out. It also lists worsening of dry eye as a possible complication, and says it is prevented and treated with careful evaluation before surgery and eye lubrication around it. EyeWiki notes that the muscle around the eye is generally left in place during upper eyelid surgery to reduce the risk of dry eye.

The NHS says it is common to have irritated, sensitive or watery eyes for a few weeks after eyelid surgery, and ASPS lists dryness of the eyes among the risks.

So mention any dry eye symptoms, eye drops you use or previous eye surgery at the first contact, not on the day of surgery. Then ask how it changes the plan.

What risks should the surgeon explain?

The NHS lists the occasional risks of eyelid surgery as blurred or double vision, uneven-looking eyes, noticeable scarring and changed sensation in the eyelids. Rarer problems include injury to eye muscles, the lower lid pulling away from the eye (ectropion), bleeding into the eye socket and visual impairment. The NHS adds that the surgeon should explain how likely these are and how they would be treated.

One of those rare risks is time-sensitive. EyeWiki tells patients to call if they have loss of vision, double vision, bleeding, severe swelling or pain, and the AAO says severe pain, decreased vision and increasing swelling may signal bleeding behind the eye and need immediate attention. In a hotel in another country, that turns into a practical question: whom do you call at night, and where would you go?

What happens about follow-up once you are home?

BAPRAS says most clinics overseas provide only limited or no aftercare once patients are back in the UK, that some have nobody in the UK to turn to, and that returning to the clinic for corrections could add hundreds of pounds plus time off work. The AAO notes that secondary revision surgery is “normal and occasionally necessary” in the weeks to months after eyelid surgery, which is exactly the period when you may already be home.

The stay guide linked at the top covers stitch removal and flying dates in detail. Here, the questions are about responsibility: who removes the stitches if that falls after your flight, who reviews your photos, and who pays for a return visit.

BAPRAS also warns that people who have travelled far can feel unable to back out. It helps to know the cancellation and refund terms before you travel, not after you arrive.

Questions to ask before booking eyelid surgery abroad

About the surgeon and facility:

  • What is your specialty, where are you registered, and which professional bodies are you a member of?
  • How many eyelid operations do you do, and how many have had complications?
  • Where will the operation be done, and is the facility licensed for it?

About your eyes:

  • When and where will my eye examination take place, and what will it include?
  • I have [dry eyes / previous eye surgery / a medical condition]: how does that change the plan?
  • Will you check whether my lid itself droops, and whether my brow position matters?

About aftercare:

  • Whom do I call at night if I have pain, swelling or a change in vision, and where would I be treated?
  • On which day will the stitches come out, and when will you clear me to fly?
  • How does follow-up work once I am home, and who sees me there if I need to be examined?
  • If I need a revision, what is covered, for how long, and who pays for travel?
  • What are the cancellation and refund terms?

For what the operation itself involves, see our guide to eyelid surgery types, recovery and risks.

Sources

All pages were opened and checked on 10 October 2026.

  • NHS, Eyelid surgery (last reviewed 15 September 2023): choosing the surgeon or ophthalmologist, GMC register, complication questions, common effects and risks.
  • EyeWiki (American Academy of Ophthalmology), Upper eyelid blepharoplasty (last edited 28 September 2026): history, examination, visual field testing, dry eye, warning symptoms, complications.
  • American Academy of Ophthalmology, Upper eyelid blepharoplasty (Peter J. Sneed, MD; no review date shown): relative contraindications, dry eye, bleeding behind the eye, revision surgery.
  • American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Eyelid surgery: questions to ask and risks and safety: consultation checklist, dryness of the eyes.
  • BAPRAS, Cosmetic surgery abroad: checking qualifications overseas, aftercare, cost of returning, pressure to go ahead.