Large, star-shaped retinal tear associated with orbital cosmetic filler

Presentation of a unique case of large, star-shaped retinal tear associated with orbital cosmetic filler injection.

A 55-year-old healthy female presented to emergency department with sudden onset of blurred vision on her left eye occurred after an orbital cosmetic filler injection containing hyaluronic acid (HA) performed by an aesthetic nurse. On fundus examination, the left eye showed a mild - moderate, unusual appearance vitreous haze and a large, star-shaped retinal tear temporal to macula. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) examination demonstrated a normal foveal contour without any structural damage on the retinal layers. Vitrectomy, endolaser and silicon oil tamponade were performed. Visual acuity was maintained at 6/7.5 following silicon oil removal at 6 weeks after the initial surgery.

In this particular case, immediate vitrectomy is key to avoid further complications such as retinal toxicity and detachment and to maintain optimal visual acuity. Importantly, facial cosmetic filler procedure should be performed by an adequately trained individual to avoid such complications.