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Eye Floaters After Facial IPL

sudie
updated 3 years ago

Not Worth It
Cost: $1,100
New York City, NY

I was enthusiastic for good results. but, i did...

22 Sep 2009

i was enthusiastic for good results. but, i did not expect to compromise my eyesight. the floaters are extremely bothersome and i worry they might be indicative of a laser burn.

has anyone else incurred eye floaters from facial laser, IPL or photofacial?

Great review?

Comments (32)

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ajapel 29 Jul 2012

Found and article about floaters after lasers used on the skin:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12460311

It's real and represents damage.

ajapel 29 Jul 2012

I have terrible eye floaters after IPL + Radiofrequency (fotofacial aka triniti treatment from Syneron's Emax machine). I have eye pain as well. I never had floaters before. They are like clear jelly pieces all over my vision. IPL is dangerous around the eyes. There are reports of iris ablation after IPL. Eyes should always be very protected when near IPL. I really don't think the little paper shields are enough.

worriedEyes 14 Jul 2012

I know sudie, I exactly know. I am so sorry too. I have the exact same situation. I wish we knew this. I wish doctors knew about this. I am so glad that they did not find anything wrong in your eyes. I hope they do not ever find anything in my eyes too. In the past few weeks I did not work, I even did not live. I was just worried and cried all the time. I am now better. I hope that nothing else has happened in my eyes, nothing progressive. It is so shameful that we had this experience after decades of using IPL. It is even worst that no one admits this and feels responsible for this. It will happen to more people unfortunately.

sudie 14 Jul 2012

i am fully aware of age related floaters - i researched extensively after this happened. the floaters i have are severe, in one eye only, and due to negligent administration of IPL near that eye, without proper eye protection. if eye protection had been properly used, the damage never would have occurred.

worriedEyes 14 Jul 2012

How long does it take to sunburn to go away? What you mean by sunburn? Did you have pain? Did your doctor told you that you have PVD?

Stonewall 14 Jul 2012

I was checked out by some of the best eye doctors in the U.S. Of course none of them would say that the laser caused the floaters. I am 59 and had perfect vision until the laser procedure on my face. My eyes felt sunburned the next day and on the second day the floaters appeared in both eyes. No one will ever convince me that was all just coincidence.

worriedEyes 13 Jul 2012

Hey Sudie, What is your age? Please anyone else mention their ages. You might want to go to ophthalmologist to check your retina. Mine was PVD. It is not uncommon for people more than 40 (I am 30). And that causes floaters. The doctors all believe that it is a coincidence. I still have pain in my eye and it feels like it is burnt. I will go check the front part of the eye too, hopefully it is not serious. Although I am extremely scared (Not because of PVD although they happened at the same time, PVD is not a serious risk) After reading the article that you sent, I am really concerned about bigger risks, I do not believe the article was there from 2010 and they did nothing till now, Ofcourse if we knew that is a risk we would not do any procedure that is absolutely unnecessary...

Stonewall 13 Jul 2012

No one could tell how bad mine were. In fact only my eye surgeon could see anything and that was the minor ones in my right eye while the giant veil floater in my left eye was undectable. When he did hte vitrectomy he could finally tell how bad it was.......

sudie 13 Jul 2012

My condition has not diminished. I still have vitreous haze caused by the IPL procedure. After reading this article - Ocular Damage Secondary to Intense Pulse Light Therapy (google it), i saw another eye doctor who is anterior segment physician /uveitis specialist. She could find nothing wrong with my eye. In the meantime, the haze is so obvious, especially in brightly lit enviroments. I have come to the conclusion that the injury is undetectable by eye examination at this time.

worriedEyes 13 Jul 2012

The day after I had this laser, my eye was so dry. I never had dry eyes before. It was hard to open (I guess it was burnt from the surface). Then two days after I had the pvd and the floaters (posterior vitreous detachment). I am thinking that pvd could be because of the burn. Or the direct result of the trauma. The thing is no doctors thinks it is related. They keep telling me that it is coincidence. I do not think they lie. But I do not think they know enough. And by the way I realized that we did not see the laser light. What we saw was from some lamp in the devise. but it was too close to our eyes!

Stonewall 6 Jul 2012

I have done a lot of research and have come to the conclusion that it does not have to be a burn, just the trauma of something like IPL can cause this. My nephew burned his eye with fireworks last week and guess what? Yep, veil floaters in his eye now. No way should this procedure have been approved for around the eyes. The problem is most doctors are not about to say anything is caused by something another doctor does. Just won't happen.

sudie 6 Jul 2012

hi. i am sorry it happened to you. sorry, what does PVD stand for?

worriedEyes 6 Jul 2012

Hey guys. I have PVD now. Mine exactly happened 2 days after the IPL. Floaters are really annoying. I have seen 4 very good ophthalmologists and no one proves that this is related. I suspect they even know how IPL works. I ask all of you to do something about it. We perhaps can have a Skype meeting or something. Even if someone comes and explain us what happened I will be good. It could be from physics not necessarily eye doctor. Just tell us how a bright light can not have any impact in the eye and how come we have this coincidence. The least thing we can do is to publicize it in a media. Someone should response to this!

sudie 21 Jun 2012

i have been to numerous notable eye doctors hoping for a fix (or, at least validation). not one doctor sees anything wrong. i can only think eye diagnostics is not yet advanced enough to detect this kind of injury even though my eyesight impairment is visually obvious.

Stonewall 21 Jun 2012

Hopefully, we can eventually get a class action lawsuit going and maybe be compensated for this procedure ruining our eyesight.....

Stonewall 21 Jun 2012

I had vitrectomies in both eyes. No floaters now, but have a cataract forming in the left eye which I am scheduled for removal this summer. This is a risk of the vitrectomy, but worth it to get rid of the floaters. Mine were really bad veil floaters. No doubt in my mind a direct result from the facial laser, but how are any of us going to prove it? None of my eye doctors or surgeons would even consider it!

Fate 20 Jun 2012

Mine is not better, nearly a year later. I can still see but I do have one big black dot in the middle of my vision. it's very annoying and does affect my work.

worriedEyes 20 Jun 2012

Did anyone of you get better? I live in Canada and have a laser hair removal session last week. I see floaters afterward, I am going to see a doctor and completely freaked out right now. I hope the floaters go away!!!! Did we damage our eyes permanently? Then why these places are not closed by now!!

ruined eyes 13 Feb 2012

Its too much of a coincidence. IPL damages the eyes because the inside of the mouth is quite hollow. Ive tried putting black cloth inside my mouth and this reduced the bright light I see during treatments. The light is also coming from the back of the eyes. I am afraid IPL ruined my eyes. So much for FDA approval. my eyesight is ruined.

Stonewall 23 Jul 2011

Probably a result of the laser. There can be direct burning or just a result of the trauma of the procedure. I have tried the laser guy in Florida. Cleared up some small floaters, gave me a few new ones. Could not zap the large veil over my right eye. Scheduled for victrectomy consultation in August. We'll see.

Fate 23 Jul 2011

Hmm I have a black dot in my vision after my second round of IPL. I noticed it 2 days after, and went to the optomertrist, who couldn't see anything but said I was probably stuck with it. I'm due for a third next week, really not sure whether I should go.

sudie 5 May 2011

same for me. the floaters occurred within 24-48 hours and are pretty severe, like a vitreous haze. i have seen 5-6 notable nyc eye doctors, none will verify this is possible or due to IPL treatments.

i know for fact in both mind and heart the IPL caused the floaters. the extent of the symtoms and timing are too obvious.

Stonewall 12 Dec 2010

I had one laser treatment last spring and two days later had severe floaters in my right eye. Cannot find anyone who will verify this is possible and have been to several eye clinics.

esstella 5 Dec 2009

I had IPL yesterday and had goggles on and all the eye protection. Every time she used the laser a bright red flash occured and half way through I had to rest as my eyes were really aching. Today I can barely look at computer screen and my eyes feel like they have been straining for a straight week! I called the IPL people and they had never had an issue before. Called an optometrist and they want to see me ASAP. Apparently all people see the flash every time the laser goes off but this really hurts today. I really want my face fixed, but I will not risk my eyes (have already had eye Lasik a few years ago).

Carla D 17 Jan 2010

What did the optometrist tell you? I went to an opthamologist twice and was told there was not retinal damage, and he would not check for infection or anything. I still can't stay on computer for long, having tearing in right eye, pain, hazy vision and the doctor (Twice) did nothing. Please let me know if he diagnosed or treated your eye. Thanks