Severe Retinal Damage and Choroidal Neovascularization Following Accidental Laser Exposure During Hair Removal: A Case Report

Ocular injuries from cosmetic laser procedures are perhaps more problematic with regard to laser hair removal, given that some of the losses in vision may be significant and even permanent. Protective eyewear, for example, plays a very critical role in preventing such injuries. The following is a case report of a 24-year-old female technician who suffered serious retinal damage and consequent choroidal neovascularization (CNV) following accidental exposure to a laser hair removal device without wearing protective eyewear. She had first presented with a best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 6/6 in the right eye and 6/60 in the left. An initial optical coherence tomography (OCT) had shown outer retinal damage. Within two weeks, she had a decrease of vision to counting fingers at three meters in the left eye, and it was diagnosed as CNV. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) intravitreal therapy was promptly initiated. This case underlines the vital importance of very strict safety measures and timely intervention to manage laser-induced ocular injury effectively.