Facial Fillers and Blindness

A recent study in South Korea showed that the “improper” use of facial fillers in the glabella or nasolabial fold areas can cause retinal artery occlusion and cause permanent blindness. 

Researchers reviewed the records of 12 patients.  Several people had autologous fat injections to these areas.  (Autologous fat is the patient's own fat.) Such injections may cause more potential problems due to variations in particular size of the injected matter. 

As a board certified cosmetic surgeon who works with facial fillers on a regular basis, I strongly recommend that anyone with eye pain following an injection should have an MRI and eye examination by an opthamologist.