Myopic change after transconjunctival blepharoplasty using carbon dioxide laser: case report

The case of a patient who experienced temporary myopic change after transconjunctival blepharoplasty using the carbon dioxide (CO(2)) laser is reported. Transconjunctival lower lid blepharoplasty using the CO(2) laser, one of the most frequent laser procedures performed in aesthetic surgery, is considered to be a safe and reliable approach that does not incur significant complications. This report describes temporary myopia in a 38-year-old woman as a rare complication after this procedure. As for the possible etiology of the postoperative myopia, the authors strongly suspect a temporary mild deformity of the eyeball leading to the change in refraction, including scleral edematization and/or retinal indentation attributable to thermal injury as a result of CO(2) laser irradiation adjacent to the eyeball. The purpose of this case report is to inform others of the complication the authors encountered and to discuss the possible etiology.