Inside Aesthetics Ep 32 Filler-related Blindness | Dr Angelo Tsirbas
Episode 32 hosts Dr Angelo Tsirbas (Oculoplastic Surgeon from Sydney, Australia)
In his third episode on the podcast, we discuss the rare but catastrophic complication associated with dermal fillers - blindness.
In an episode specifically for cosmetic injectors, we discuss the mechanism of how blindness occurs, the practical things injectors can do to avoid it and how to prepare in advance for the worst case scenario.
0:00 Introduction 1:03 Meet Dr Angelo Tsirbas 3:19 What Causes Blindness From Fillers 5:16 How Filler Enters Blood Vessels 9:44 Why Facial Anatomy Increases Risk 11:56 How Rare Filler Related Blindness Is 14:01 Global Data and Reported Cases 16:30 Risk Areas in the Central Face 18:16 Needle vs Cannula Risk Discussion 23:53 Rise of Hyaluronic Acid Filler Use 27:02 Why Accurate Risk Numbers Are Difficult 30:22 Communicating Risk to Patients 33:44 Comparing Risk With Everyday Activities 37:39 Importance of Informed Consent 41:39 Immediate Symptoms of Blindness 45:36 Pain and Vision Loss Warning Signs 48:05 Difference Between Occlusion and Blindness 51:43 Why Vision Loss Happens Immediately 57:32 Retinal Damage and Recovery Limits 1:01:04 Emergency Response and Urgent Referral 1:03:30 Importance of Going With the Patient 1:07:48 Role of Ophthalmology in Management 1:12:19 Treatments to Reduce Eye Pressure 1:16:00 Using Hyaluronidase for Filler Embolism 1:19:56 Limitations of Current Treatment Evidence 1:22:22 Challenges of Injection Around the Eye 1:25:07 Future Research and Injection Sites 1:27:43 Importance of Education and Prevention 1:30:37 Keeping Emergency Contacts Ready 1:33:59 Managing Complications in Regional Clinics 1:36:53 Recognizing Early Vascular Occlusion 1:39:25 Importance of Rapid Treatment 1:42:10 Training and Continuing Education 1:44:30 Graduating From Low to High Risk Areas 1:48:40 Building Confidence and Experience 1:53:30 Industry Collaboration and Data Collection 1:55:45 Future Guidelines and Education Programs 2:00:30 Final Advice for Injectors 2:03:05 Contact Details and Wrap Up