‘Seek licensed cosmetic eyelid surgeons only’

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SIBU: Eyelid surgery is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures performed in the country but under the hands of unlicensed practitioners, a person could risk complications which could even lead to blindness.

And worse, according to ophthalmologist and oculoplastic surgeon, Dr Chua Chung Nen, many unfortunate people are left in the lurch when operations did not go well.

Compounding the woe, the Unimas professor lamented such operations did not come cheap.

Dr Chua explaining on pterygium, one of many conditions that affect vision.

“Some people go to unlicensed people for cosmetic eyelid surgery like in beauty salons, whose workers are not trained in the procedure, or even undergo the operation in a hotel.

“As a result, many experienced lots of complications arising from disastrous operations. And when they backtracked to these places, the operators denied any responsibility, claiming the people whom they had flown in for the procedures had left and did not provide any forwarding address.

“With nobody to turn to, some of them came to me, where we had to perform remedial surgery,” Dr Chua told reporters prior to KPJ Sibu’s Health Talk at a leading hotel here on Saturday night, hoping that talk would raise awareness of the risks faced when going for unlicensed practitioners.

He added: “Disastrous result means either it is not good or sometimes, they have problems with the functions of the eye or even  going blind. Hence, people should not go to unlicensed places to undergo such surgery.”

Practitioners need to be medically qualified besides requiring a sterile environment, he stressed in giving his expert advice.

He further pointed out that it was illegal for a non-doctor to perform surgery.

Asked why people opted for cosmetic eyelid surgery in these places, he figured a lack of awareness was among the reasons.

At times, he reckoned some people might give in to the persuasion of hard-selling beauticians.Without signing any document, customers had nowhere to air their complaint if anything untoward happened later, he said.

Prof Dr Chua, who received training on both cataract and eyelid surgeries in the United Kingdom urged those intending to go for such surgery to vet the background of the practitioners.

Some 60 people attending KPJ Sibu’s Health Talk, on the risks faced when going to unlicensed practitioners for cosmetic eyelid surgery, as well as awareness on cataracts.

They could check with the Malaysian Medical Council to verify whether the practitioner is a doctor, he said.

Towards this end, he disclosed that while men also went for eyelid surgery, women formed the majority.

Dr Chua also expounded on cataract — a leading cause of blindness worldwide.

He observed that people developed cataract as they got older.

Most people above 50, would have cataracts but the younger ones could get it as well, he said. On the factors, he said it could sometimes be due to taking certain medicines.

Hence, he emphasised that it was imperative for people to seek a doctor’s prescription for any medication. Dr Chua also advised people to avoid direct exposure to sunlight. Later, the medical expert expounded on cataract and eyelid surgery to some 60 people, who attended the talk.