The products which are used to fill the wrinkles are not without danger, alert American dermatos. Injected around the eyes, in a few cases they can cause permanent blindness.
By wanting to avoid crow’s feet, there are certain risks of losing sight. A team of American ophthalmologists recalls the dangers of injections around the eyes of Botox and other anti-wrinkle products. They published this March 6 in the JAMA Ophthalmology a report that calls for caution.
An underestimated risk of complications
Three cases of “central retinal artery occlusion caused by fillers” are reported by the authors of the report. A woman in her 40s lost her sight in her right eye after an injection of bovine collagen and another product to reduce forehead wrinkles. Another patient, in his thirties, can no longer see in his left eye after an injection of hyaluronic acid. His retina is no longer supplied with blood. A sixty-year-old woman suffered serious vision loss. She had chosen to have fat injected at the roots of her hair.
This type of complication is very rare, says Dr. Michelle Carle, lead author of the report. But the risk is particularly high when the injections are close to the eye. Indeed, it is possible that the product “enters the central retinal artery (…) and integrates the retinal tissues, which can lead to serious and irreversible loss of vision. ”
Most often, the products block the blood supply to the tissues of the eye, which explains the blindness. A very real risk that should be taken into account, according to the authors of the study: “We recommend adding blindness or significant vision loss among the risks when these procedures are discussed with patients, because the consequences are devastating, ”they write.
A lack of perspective
In the United States, the Food and Health Safety Authority (FDA) prohibits the injection of dermal fillers into the eyes and forehead. But unlicensed uses are relatively common, according to the report’s authors. In France, the specialties available must meet different standards depending on the area where they are to be injected. All injectable products are considered to be surgical. Only trained specialists (dermatologists, plastic, face, neck, maxillofacial surgeons) can use them. But the Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) recognizes a lack of perspective to assess the real risks of such a practice.
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