Retinal Injury During Laser Epilation: Case Report

Abstract

The increase in cosmetic surgery procedures via laser hair removal has led an increase in cutaneous and ocular complications. Although such procedures are mostly performed by individuals trained in this field, a large number of healthcare facilities, cosmetic institutes and tattoo centers offer these services today due to their commercial potential and seemingly simple procedures. While the complications that develop during laser hair removal most commonly occupy dermatologists, ophthalmologists also have started to encounter these complications frequently. Laser beams can damage eye adnexes (periocular skin tissue, eyelids), anterior segment (cornea, lens) and posterior segment (retina, choroid) structures. Retinal injuries are more important as they can be associated with more serious irreversible vision loss. In this article, it was aimed to present a case of accidental retinal damage during hair removal with diode laser and to review the literature. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.