I can’t open my eye after really bad botched Botox

She may not have to sleep with one eye open — but she sure is walking around that way.

After moving from Florida to New Jersey, 28-year-old Lydia August found a new neurologist to administer the Botox injections she relies on to treat her severe migraines.

Everything seemed to be Botox as usual until a few days after the injection.

“I woke up and looked in the mirror, and my right eye looked a little more closed than the other, but I thought maybe I slept on it weird. Throughout the day and the next morning, it began to droop more. By the day after, my eye was pretty much completely closed,” August told The Post.

The condition August is experiencing, known as ptosis or drooping eyelid, is a rare side effect of Botox injections. It occurs when the Botox weakens the muscles that lift the eyelid, causing it to partially or completely close.

“Studies show ptosis happens in about 1–5% of patients, depending on where the injections are placed. It’s usually related to the product spreading into nearby muscles that are responsible for helping to open the eyelids,” facial plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Brissett, President of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) told The Post.

For migraine sufferers like August, Botox injections are typically administered around the forehead, temples, and back of the head.

“I always knew ptosis could be a risk with Botox, but I thought since I had luck with my previous doctors, and being that this is a pretty common procedure, I thought my risk was pretty low,” said August.

When she contacted her doctor’s office, the receptionist informed her that the doctor would prescribe eye drops but did not plan to see or speak to her.

“I was actually surprised that he didn’t want to see me or talk to me,” she said. “Ptosis is a risk associated with Botox, but it usually results in a slight or partial droop. The fact that my eye was completely closed and he didn’t want to see me was a little surprising.”

As August’s ptosis is more of a total drop than a slight droop, it has impaired her ability to drive and work.

“I can’t drive without taping my eyelid open, it’s hard to work — staring at a screen all day with one eye isn’t easy,” she said.

“Fortunately, my work is being accommodating because they don’t want me driving with impaired vision, so I can work from home, which I’m thankful for.”

August claims she was not given instructions on how often to take the drops that were prescribed to her, and in a follow-up TikTok video, she said that she has seen no improvement from continuing to use them.

While effects like August’s are almost always temporary, typically resolving within two to six weeks as the Botox wears off, Brissett says compassionate follow-up care is critical.