The popularity of cosmetic injections — botulinum toxin, hyaluronic acid, fillers — is growing rapidly. However, the desire to get rid of wrinkles or "refresh" the face can have extremely serious consequences — up to and including complete loss of vision.
This is warned by Volodymyr Melnyk, a top-class ophthalmologist and medical director of the VISIOBUD clinic. According to him, complications often occur immediately after the injection: a sharp deterioration in vision, eyelid swelling, intense pain in or around the eye.
One of the riskiest areas for injections is between the eyebrows. This is where the supraorbital and supraorbital arteries pass under the skin, which are directly connected to the ophthalmic artery, the source of blood supply to the retina and optic nerve.
Due to the lack of fat cushioning in this area, the drug can accidentally enter a blood vessel. Under the pressure of the injection, it moves back — retrogradely — into larger vessels. Occlusion of the ophthalmic artery leads to an immediate disruption of the eye's nutrition and can cause:
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tissue necrosis;
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scar formation;
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blindness (often irreversible).
Similar complications are possible with injections into the nasolabial fold. The angular artery passes here, which is connected to the dorsal nasal and ophthalmic arteries. If the drug enters these vessels, the retina stops receiving oxygen. Within 90 minutes, retinal cells can die irreversibly.
Even if a particular patient's vessels have individual characteristics or a reserve blood supply, this does not guarantee safety. Every injection is a risk, so it should only be performed by a medically trained specialist who has a deep understanding of facial anatomy.
Symptoms of complications can be both immediate and delayed. Ignoring even minor vision loss or discomfort after the procedure is dangerous. Timely help can save your vision.
