Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty) in Seattle: Cosmetic or Covered, and Who Performs It

Cosmetic or covered: settle this first

How your plan classifies eyelid surgery shapes almost everything else: which surgeons you can see, what records are needed before surgery, and what you'll pay. If your plan won't cover it, you pay the full cost yourself. Get your answer from the plan itself, not from an ad or a hopeful estimate.

1. Ask the surgeon's office firstAsk whether they see your surgery as cosmetic or medically necessary, and what that judgment is based on.
2. Ask what records are neededFind out what your plan needs to see before it will decide, and who sends it.
3. Call your planAsk whether eyelid surgery needs prior authorization, whether the surgeon and the facility are in network, and what you would owe.
4. Get the decision in writingA verbal assurance is not a decision. Ask for written confirmation before your surgery date.
5. If it's cosmetic, get one full quoteAsk for a written price that lists the surgeon's fee, the facility, anesthesia if any, and follow-up visits.

Kaiser Permanente Washington members: Kaiser says its ophthalmologists treat surgical eye problems (Kaiser Permanente). Northgate offers optometry only, and the nearest ophthalmology locations are Everett or Capitol Hill (Kaiser Permanente). Ask Kaiser whether eyelid surgery is offered under your plan and how the referral works.

Who performs eyelid surgery in Seattle

Of the health systems we checked, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is the one whose ophthalmology page highlights eyelid work. It says cosmetic eyelid and facial surgery are featured, alongside complete medical and surgical eye care. Patients are seen at Virginia Mason's Seattle Main Clinic and at Virginia Mason Federal Way, Issaquah, Kirkland and Lynnwood (VMFH).

UW Medicine's Eye Institute at Harborview specializes in emergency, trauma and burn eye care, plus other complex medical and surgical eye care (UW Medicine). That makes it relevant when an eyelid problem follows an injury or a burn.

On this site, oculoplastic surgery means surgery on the eyelids and the area around the eye. The title a surgeon uses on a website matters less than what you can verify:

• Their Washington license and any disciplinary actions, on the Department of Health's Provider Credential Search
• Their board certification: the American Board of Ophthalmology search for ophthalmologists, or ABMS Certification Matters, which covers all 24 ABMS member boards
• How often they perform the specific operation you need
• Where they operate, and who provides anesthesia

Our surgeon check guide walks through each lookup. The Washington Medical Commission is the state medical board.

Before your consultation

• Write down what bothers you about your eyelids and when you first noticed it.
• List every past eye surgery, including LASIK. FDA-approved labeling for one LASIK laser lists eyelid drooping as a possible effect after LASIK, so your history matters (FDA).
• Bring your insurance card and ask for the name of the office's billing contact.
• Bring a list of your medications and ask what the surgical team needs to know.
• Decide who will come with you, and who can drive you home on surgery day.

Recovery: what to get in writing

We haven't verified a published recovery timeline for blepharoplasty, so we don't give one here. Ask your surgeon to answer these in writing before surgery:

• How long until I can return to work, and to exercise?
• When can I wear eye makeup or contact lenses again?
• Will there be stitches, and when do they come out?
• Which symptoms mean I should call right away, and what's the after-hours number?
• When is the first follow-up visit, and who will see me?
• Should someone stay with me the first night?

Questions to ask any eyelid surgeon

1. Do you consider my surgery cosmetic or medically necessary, and on what basis?
2. Which specialty board certifies you?
3. How many of these operations do you perform in a typical year?
4. Where will the surgery take place, and what kind of anesthesia will you use?
5. Who sees me after surgery, and who answers the phone after hours?
6. If I'm unhappy with the result, what are the options, and would a revision cost extra?

If an eyelid problem is urgent

Eyelid injuries and burns are not a planning question. Harborview's eye clinic specializes in emergency, trauma and burn eye care. If you have an injury, call 911 or go to an emergency department.