What should I check before booking?
Three things: the clinic’s registration, the surgeon’s registration, and what happens if something goes wrong. The NHS advises checking that an English clinic is registered with the Care Quality Commission and reading its inspection reports, checking the surgeon on the General Medical Council register including any fitness-to-practise history, and asking about complications and follow-up care. These checks apply wherever you found the clinic, including through this independent eyelid surgery guide.
1. Is the clinic registered?
- England: search the Care Quality Commission and read the latest inspection report.
- Scotland: it is a legal requirement for private clinics to register with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, whose online register lists the treatments each service is regulated to provide and its inspection reports.
2. Is the surgeon on the GMC register?
Search the GMC register by name or GMC number. Check they hold a licence to practise, see whether they are on the specialist register, and look for any conditions or warnings. The NHS specifically suggests checking fitness-to-practise history.
3. What happens if there’s a problem?
Ask who you contact out of hours, whether follow-up appointments are included, and what the clinic charges if you need further treatment. Some people feel they need a second operation, so it is worth knowing the policy before you pay.
Oculoplastic surgeon or plastic surgeon?
Both perform blepharoplasty. Oculoplastic surgeons are eye surgeons (ophthalmologists) who specialise in the eyelids and surrounding structures. NHS eye hospitals such as Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and the Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre run dedicated oculoplastic services. Plastic surgeons operate across the face and body. What matters most is how many eyelid operations the surgeon does and their complication record, so ask.
What should I ask at the consultation?
- Is my concern caused by eyelid skin, fat, a low brow or something else? (Eyelid surgery won’t lift a sagging brow.)
- Which operation and approach do you recommend for me, and why?
- How many of these operations do you do each year?
- Which complications do you see most, and how often? (The NHS lists the main ones.)
- Local or general anaesthetic, and where will the surgery take place?
- Exactly what does the price include? (See the cost guide.)
- Who handles my aftercare, and who do I call at night?
What are good reasons to wait?
- You feel rushed, or are offered a discount for booking quickly.
- You haven’t met the surgeon who will operate before the day of surgery.
- The consultation was with a salesperson rather than a doctor.
- Your concern is mainly dark circles or fine lines, which surgery can’t change.
- You are recovering from a major life event, or someone else wants you to have it.
What is the regret rate for blepharoplasty?
We have not found a reliable UK figure. The NHS does note that some people feel they need a second operation. The best protection against regret is a clear conversation about what surgery can and can’t change for your eyes, and time to decide. Scotland’s NHS protocol even requires approved referrals to be seen by a specialist clinical psychologist.
Where can I find local options?
Our city pages list the regulator and published prices locally: London, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham.