With the high demand for non-surgical rejuvenation treatments, including dermal filler, it is expected that complications will occur. Whilst rare, the most devastating is dermal filler-associated visual loss. This article describes the anatomical principles and mechanisms of this serious complication, highlighting the need for all aesthetic practitioners to understand them clearly, as well as the necessary immediate management steps should visual loss present.
Dermal filler complications can be classified into ischaemic and non-ischaemic categories.1 Non-ischaemic complications include infection/biofilm, nodules and granuloma formation, Tyndall effect and prolonged oedema. Ischaemic complications are more concerning, and these include skin ischaemia, skin necrosis and visual loss.1 Hyaluronic acid (HA) has overtaken autologous fat as the leading cause of visual complications following…
