What is the surgical procedure to remove excess skin and fat from the eyelids?

The surgical procedure to remove excess skin and fat from the eyelids is blepharoplasty.

Blepharoplasty is a form of eyelid surgery performed on the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both. Surgeons may remove or reposition excess skin, muscle, and orbital fat to improve eyelid function or appearance. In some patients, upper-eyelid tissue can droop far enough to restrict peripheral vision.

The name comes from the Greek words blepharon, meaning “eyelid,” and plastos, meaning “molded” or “formed.” The operation is often associated with cosmetic rejuvenation, but it can also address functional problems caused by age-related skin laxity. Lower-eyid surgery may target under-eye bags and the transition between the eyelid and cheek.

Blepharoplasty is not the same as a facelift, or rhytidectomy, which tightens and repositions facial skin and deeper tissues more broadly. Mentoplasty reshapes the chin, while otoplasty changes the external ear.