Retobulbar Hemorrhage after Blephorplasty

Posted by nettiemae @nettiemae, Aug 28, 2025

I had a bleph, browpexy, and ptosis repair scheduled. The first two procedures were complete when my surgeon diagnosed me with a retrobulbar henorrhage (bleeding behind the eye). The ptosis procedure was abandoned as this is an emergency in the eye surgery world. She had to do 2 extra procedures to get the blood out of the retrobulbar space. I am now left with a non opening and very very swollen eyelid on the left. Has anyone had this happen? I am told it may take a year for my eye to recover and even then I will be left with a very droopy eye. This was a cosmetic, elective surgery and I look way worse now than when I went in. The chances of this happening is 0.05% and this had never happened to this surgeon in 15 years of practice. A real red herring. Anyone have any insight? Thanks in advance.

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I have to decide if I do the second surgery in August. Sometimes the enemy of "good" is "Better"!!! I could live my life out with a little droopy eyelid on the left, or have the surgery and pray for a better outcome. My surgeon (whom I think has always had my best interest at heart) believes strongly she can fix it, as did the second option I sought. My study of one (me) still scares me something else could happen. I am trying to decide. I go back in May for measurments and another appt to help me decide. Best Regards,

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@nettiemae also - have you discussed with anyone just using Botox to fix the symmetry? Might get you 99 percent of the way without subsequent surgery

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