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Upneeq® Prescription Eye Drops for Droopy Lids: A Quick Fix Until You’re Ready for Eyelid Surgery

Every year in the United States, more than 325,000 women and men undergo eyelid surgery to improve their facial aesthetics and reverse the signs of aging. Also called cosmetic blepharoplasty, eyelid surgery typically focuses on the upper lids, gently lifting them to achieve a more alert, more rested appearance.

Although eyelid surgery is performed on an outpatient basis and has a relatively quick recovery time, not everyone feels ready to undergo surgery. Fortunately, there’s an alternative: Upneeq® eye drops provide a temporary solution that can give you the lifted look you want without committing to a surgical procedure. 

As top-rated providers of cosmetic eyelid surgery for patients in McLean and Dulles, Virginia, Soheila Rostami, MD, FAAO, FAACS, and Joseph K. Davidson, MD, FACS, offer Upneeq drops for patients at Sanctuary Cosmetic Center, helping women and men enjoy lifted lids with a once-daily treatment. If you’re wondering how Upneeq works and how it could help you, here’s what they want you to know.

How Upneeq works

Upneeq uses a special formulation that causes muscle contractions in your lids, raising them by about a millimeter. That’s just enough to help your eyes look wide awake while also improving peripheral vision in people with mild to moderate eyelid drooping (ptosis). 

All you need is a single drop in each eye to achieve effects that last for six hours or longer. Upneeq is safe for use with contact lenses, but if you have other eye conditions, like glaucoma, you should talk to your ophthalmologist before using the drops. 

Upneeq may also interfere with some other medications, including medicines used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease. During your initial visit, be sure to disclose all medications you take, including over-the-counter medicines and vitamin supplements, to avoid potential interactions.

A note of caution

Upneeq is similar to a popular decongestant medication that clears up a stuffy nose. Both agents use the same key ingredient, but they’re designed to work differently: While the decongestant focuses on congestion symptoms, Upneeq works on the muscles that elevate your upper lids. 

If you’ve read about the similarity between these two products, you might be tempted to use the decongestant as a lower-cost substitute for Upneeq — but do NOT swap these products. Even though the two products have the same active ingredient, the formulations are markedly different, and using a decongestant in your eyes could cause serious problems, including permanent vision loss.

Upneeq vs. eyelid surgery

Upneeq can be a great fix for droopy lids, especially if your drooping isn’t significant and if it doesn’t interfere with your vision. But even though it can help elevate your eyelids, it’s important to remember that these drops are not intended for long-term use.

Instead, Upneeq can be a good solution for special events when you want your eyes to look their absolute best — for instance, a wedding, a work conference, or a class reunion. Ultimately, to lock in the look, you’ll need to have an eyelid lift.

Eyelid lift surgery, performed on an outpatient basis, uses special techniques to fix drooping in your upper lids, lower lids, or both. Incisions are hidden in natural folds or underneath the lid rim, and recovery is quick. Until you’re ready to schedule your procedure, Upneeq can be helpful as a temporary “fix” to help you get an idea of what an eyelid lift can do for you. 

Bottom line: Upneeq is not intended as a replacement for eyelid surgery, and it should only be used as directed — typically one dose, once a day, for a duration or frequency determined by your doctor. For lasting effects without relying on drops, eyelid surgery is the time-tested way to help your eyes look younger and more alert while also correcting vision problems associated with droopy lids.

To learn more about Upneeq, book an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Sanctuary Cosmetic Center today.

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We look forward to seeing how we can help you achieve a new level of confidence. Contact our team to set up a private consultation and explore everything we have to offer at Washington, D.C.’s premier cosmetic provider.

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