Can Botox Permanently Damage Your Actual Eye Muscles and Optical Nerves?

About six weeks ago I got a full forehead injection of Botox as well as injections for my crow’s feet. Since then I have had incredible eye strain and discomfort. I went to a good GP who said it was rare but sometimes the injections go too deep and paralyze the actual eye muscles. She told me the eyestrain will go away when the Botox wears off. I'm concerned that I have at least another 4 - 5 months of this pain. I am in a lot of discomfort when I try to work on the computer (I am a digital designer) so cannot avoid trying to concentrate for long spells. Can this eye muscle paralysis permanently damage my eye muscles? Is there anything I can do (other than trying not to work on the computer) that can help alleviate my pain as it’s driving me in sane! I keep having to close my eyes and then press in on my eyeballs to reduce the tension in them. I find sometimes pressing into my brows and cheekbones helps as well. I've never experienced this before. I would be extremely grateful for some advice on this. Thanks so much.

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4 Doctor Answers | Asked by lkh in UAE

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Botox and eye muscles

It is highly unlikely that the botox caused intraocular muscle problems although it is possible. The effects will wear off , but you should check back with your doctor regularly.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Permanent eye muscle and optical nerve damage by Botox

I have NEVER heard of a case where Botox to the FRONTALIS (forehead muscles) and Crow's feet areas (lateral orbicularis oculi muscles) have paralyzed the eye muscles or optic nerves. To do so would require an intra-orbital (inside the eye socket) injection as USED TO BE DONE for one of Botox's earliest indications when it came out as a treatment of spastic disorders including those involving the inner eye muscles. The MOST common explanation is an over-paralysis of the forehead muscles... more

If the cause is Botox your symptoms should resolve in less than 3 months

If this occured within two weeks of Botox and there are no other medical reasons then the symptoms should resolve without any residual effects. Your GP should check the vision and extraoccular muscle movements to make the proper diagnosis.

Eye strain from Botox

Perhaps you were using your forehead to hold up your eyebrows so that you could see. Now that your forehead muscle (frontalis) is paralyzed, it's making it harder for you to see and causing you to strain. It's doubtful that the Botox got into your eye muscles or optic nerves.