Eyes
Ptosis correction in Korea
Ptosis correction, called eye shape correction in Korea, tightens the muscle that lifts the upper eyelid so your eyes look more open. It suits droopy eyelids that look tired. The operation takes 30 to 60 minutes under sedation, with no overnight stay. Recovery takes about a week, and most people plan 6 to 7 days in Seoul.
Who is a good candidate for ptosis correction?
- Your upper lids sit low over the iris, the colored part of your eye, so you look sleepy or tired
- You lift your eyebrows or forehead to open your eyes, and your forehead feels tense by the end of the day
- You are planning double eyelid surgery and the surgeon finds a mild droop. Both are often done together
- Your eyes are healthy and the droop has come on slowly, over years
When it may not be the right choice
- Your eyelid drooped suddenly, or the droop comes with double vision or a headache. These can be signs of a serious problem, so get emergency care first, before thinking about surgery. If the lid height changes during the day, see a doctor before any eyelid surgery, because a muscle or nerve condition can cause these signs
- Your lifting muscle barely works, for example because the droop has been there since birth. A different operation, such as a brow suspension, may be needed
- Your dry eye is not yet under control, or you have an eye infection right now
- You want to keep a monolid. Ask about ptosis correction for monolids, which lifts the lid without making a crease
Which method fits you?
The clinic offers two methods. The choice depends mostly on how much fat is in the eyelid and how strong the droop is. Both usually create a double eyelid crease at the same time.
| Method | What happens | Suits | Downtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural adhesion (non-incisional) | Buried stitches placed through a few tiny openings tighten the lifting muscle and set the crease. Little or no tissue is removed. | Thin eyelids with little fat, a mild to moderate droop, eyes that look sleepy | Back to daily life in about a week |
| Incisional ptosis correction | A cut along the crease lets the surgeon remove extra fat and skin and tighten the lifting muscle directly. | Fuller eyelids with more fat, a stronger droop, extra skin to remove | Stitches out on day 5 to 7. Lid height can look uneven for a few weeks while swelling goes down |
What happens on the day of ptosis correction?
- Consultation with the surgeon. They measure how far each lid opens, check the strength of the lifting muscle and plan the crease with you.
- Sedation keeps you comfortable during the procedure.
- The surgeon tightens the lifting muscle through tiny openings or through a crease incision. The operation lasts 30 to 60 minutes.
- You return to your hotel after a short rest. The lids may feel tight and not close fully at first, so ask which eye drops or ointment to use at night.
What is recovery like after ptosis correction?
- Days 1 to 3
- Swelling and bruising are at their worst. Your eyes may feel tight and hard to close fully. Use cold compresses and keep your head raised on pillows at night.
- Days 5 to 7
- Any stitches come out at this check. By about a week most people go out with glasses. Ask the surgeon before wearing eye makeup.
- Weeks 2 to 4
- The lids can look a little high, uneven or stiff while swelling goes down. This is normal and changes week by week.
- Months 1 to 3
- The lid height and crease settle, and the surgeon assesses the outcome at around three months.
How long should you stay in Seoul after ptosis correction?
Allow six to seven days in Seoul. The check falls at about one week, and any stitches come out then, so most people fly once that visit is done. Your lids may not close fully yet: keep eye drops in your hand luggage along with sunglasses, and avoid alcohol, saunas and swimming for two weeks.
What are the risks of ptosis correction?
- Under-correction or over-correction, so a lid sits too low or too high and may need adjusting
- A difference in height or crease shape between the two eyes
- Eyes that do not close fully for a while, which can leave them dry, gritty or watery, mostly at night
- The correction loosening over time, so the lid droops again and needs to be redone
- Expected, temporary swelling and bruising
- Infection, a visible scar after the incisional method, or a buried stitch that irritates the eye
- Bleeding under the skin (a hematoma). Rarely, bleeding behind the eye can threaten vision. If your sight changes or the eye becomes very painful, get emergency care first, then tell the clinic
What affects the cost of ptosis correction in Korea?
Ptosis correction is not priced on this page yet, because the clinic quotes only after seeing your photos. What moves the quote: natural adhesion or the incisional method, one eye or both, how much fat or skin comes out, and whether a double eyelid crease or eye corner surgery is planned with it. Get the quote in writing, naming the surgeon and listing follow-up visits and stitch removal.
More questions
What is the difference between ptosis correction and double eyelid surgery?
Double eyelid surgery makes a crease. Ptosis correction, also called droopy eyelid surgery, changes how far the lid opens by tightening the lifting muscle. In Korea the two are often done in one operation, so the crease and how far the lid opens are planned together.
Do I need the natural adhesion or the incisional method?
Natural adhesion suits thin lids with little fat and a mild to moderate droop. The incisional method suits fuller lids, a stronger droop, or extra skin that needs removing. The surgeon chooses after examining your eyelids.
Can the eyelid droop again after ptosis correction?
It can. The muscle and skin keep aging, and a stitch-based correction can loosen. If that happens, the lid can be corrected again. Ask the surgeon how this is handled before you book.
When can I fly home after ptosis correction?
Usually once the check at about one week is done, which is also when any stitches come out. The lids may still look swollen during the flight, which is normal.
Related procedures
Sources
- Clinic figures as published by Urban Plastic Surgery, collected October 3, 2026. Your surgeon confirms your own plan.
- What Is Ptosis?. American Academy of Ophthalmology
- Blepharoptosis (Ptosis): Classification, Evaluation, and Surgical Management. StatPearls
- Subclinical Ptosis Correction: Incision, Partial Incision, and Nonincision: The Formation of the Double Fold. PubMed Central, US National Library of Medicine
Cases and clinic figures come from our partner clinic, Urban Plastic Surgery. The partnership does not change what we publish about risks and recovery.