All procedures carry some risk. Having your procedure done in an accredited hospital minimises your risk during a procedure. The best way to categorise risks is to divide them into the risks of having a general anaesthetic, things that can go wrong during the procedure, things that might happen in the first few weeks and things that might happen further down the track.

Generally speaking, patients undergoing elective surgery have very minimal risk, but it is a doctor’s duty to inform patients of all their material risks. Our consent package details these risks, but the following is a quick list.

Risks of having a general anaesthetic

•    Areas of lung collapse and pneumonia
•    Clots in the legs (DVT) which can move to the lungs (Pulmonary Embolism)
•    Allergies
•    Awareness
•    Death (risk in Australia is about one in a million, you are at more risk driving to and from the hospital)

Things that can go wrong in the operation

•    Bleeding
•    Damage to surrounding structures

Things that might happen in the first few weeks

•    Collections of blood around the eye
•    Swollen or red conjunctiva (lining of the eye)
•    Dry eyes
•    Firmness of the eyelids
•    Altered vision and blindness (very rare)

Things that might happen long term

•    Poor scars
•    Asymmetry
•    Eyelid malposition

During your consultation, your specialist plastic surgeon will explain all these risks, what they do to avoid and treat them, and the rates at which they occur.