When can I drink alcohol after blepharoplasty?

General information about typical recovery, not medical advice. Every eye and every surgery is different, and your surgeon's instructions override anything on this page. Read our full disclaimer.

Short answer

Wait at least until you are off prescription pain medicine and the active bruising phase is over, roughly the first 1 to 2 weeks. No professional society gives a specific number, so ask your surgeon.

No professional society page we reviewed gives a day count for alcohol after blepharoplasty, so treat any specific number you read online with suspicion, including ours. What is documented is the reasoning behind the usual advice.

First, medication overlap. ASOPRS notes discomfort is generally mild and managed with non-aspirin pain relievers, and StatPearls notes most patients require no prescription pain medication after upper blepharoplasty. If you are one of the people who does need something stronger, do not mix it with alcohol.

Second, bruising. ASOPRS advises avoiding aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, and other blood thinners before and after surgery because they may increase the risk of bruising and bleeding. Bruising and swelling typically last 10 to 14 days per AAO, and surgeons commonly extend the same caution about anything that could worsen bruising through that window.

Practical version: skip it while you are taking prescription pain medicine, and keep it modest until the bruising has cleared. If you are on a blood thinner, follow your surgeon's plan for restarting it. StatPearls notes anticoagulants are typically resumed by postoperative day 2 after upper blepharoplasty, which is a decision your surgeon makes, not you.

When	Typical guidance
While on prescription pain medicine	No alcohol.
Days 1 to 14	Bruising and swelling typically last 10 to 14 days per AAO. Most surgeons advise holding off or keeping it minimal.
After bruising clears	Usually back to normal, with your surgeon's approval.

Call your surgeon now if you notice any of these

Sudden severe pain in or behind the eye, especially with swelling that keeps getting worse. AAO states that severe pain, decreased vision, and progressive swelling may represent retrobulbar hemorrhage and should be brought to immediate medical attention. Go to an emergency room now.
The eye pushing forward or bulging, or lids so tight and swollen you cannot open them. Proptosis is a documented sign of retrobulbar hemorrhage, which EyeWiki describes as a rapidly progressive, sight-threatening emergency.
Any decrease or loss of vision, or vision getting worse over hours instead of better. Loss of vision is listed by AAO among the possible complications of eyelid surgery, and EyeWiki notes intervention for retrobulbar hemorrhage needs to happen within about 2 hours of onset.
Nausea and vomiting together with eye pain and pressure. StatPearls lists pain, proptosis, nausea, vomiting, and reduced vision as the presentation of retrobulbar hemorrhage, which it calls a surgical emergency.
New double vision. Double vision is listed among the complications of lower eyelid and transconjunctival blepharoplasty by StatPearls. Call your surgeon the same day.
Signs of infection: spreading redness, warmth, increasing swelling after the first few days, yellow or green discharge, or fever. Infection is listed by AAO among the possible complications of eyelid surgery.
Bleeding from an incision that does not stop with gentle steady pressure, or a firm lump under the skin that is growing quickly.
Not being able to close the eye fully once the early swelling has gone down, or an eye that feels raw, painful, and very light sensitive. Early incomplete closure is common and usually resolves within days per StatPearls, so closure that is not improving needs to be checked.
Any wound that opens or separates, or a suture that has come loose and is scratching the eye.

These warning signs after blepharoplasty can point to problems that need same-day care. Do not wait for your next scheduled visit. If you cannot reach your surgeon's office, use their on-call line, or go to an emergency room.

Sources: American Academy of Ophthalmology; American Academy of Ophthalmology (EyeWiki); StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf

Sources

Eye and Brow Lift American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Accessed 2026-08-25.
Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf. Accessed 2026-08-25.
Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty American Academy of Ophthalmology. Accessed 2026-08-25.

When can I drink alcohol after blepharoplasty?

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