Woman who can't blink sues surgeon

Friday, April 1, 2011
A US woman has successfully sued her plastic surgeon and awarded US$115,000 (A$111,437) in compensation after a botched operation left her unable to fully close her eyes — even when she sleeps.

New Jersey resident Marilyn Leisz went to plastic surgeon Dr Paul Barker to correct bumps on her eyelids from previous cosmetic procedures. But the latest procedure left her unable to fully close her eyes.

"To blink I really have to really squeeze my eyes to … fully close my eyes," she told CBS.

The married mother-of-two said that to her keep eyes from being damaged she now has to use a number of gels and drops in her eyes and claimed she is already losing her vision.

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Leisz sued Dr Parker for negligence, claiming he did not warn her of the risks involved in the procedure. Dr Parker denied the allegations.

"The patient was given information about those risks," Dr Parker's lawyer said.

Leisz's lawyers argued that Dr Parker shouldn't have performed surgery on eyelids that had already been stretched to the limit.

Leisz said that while she might be able to undergo more procedures to correct the problem, she is now afraid to go under the knife again and that the operation had affected her life considerably.

"All the favourite things I used to, like tennis, racquetball, swimming, horseback riding, bike riding, skeet shooting, gardening, I can't do those things," she said.

She claimed that the amount awarded was "a joke" and had expected US500,000.

"The award given to me can't anywhere touch what has happened with my eyes," Leisz said.

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Do you have any cosmetic surgery horror stories? Have your say below

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User reviews
Nothing wrong with wanting to look more attractive with a little help. The surgeon should have refused to carry out the work and given her the risks in writing. Strange how men are always against surgery but are quick to look at a pair of fake boobs on a gorgeous girl
Hey lady you chose to go and muck around with nature, suck it up and deal with it. Your lucky you got ANY money.
All surgery comes with risks, The risks increase with multiple surgeries. She should not have been given compo for this. If it was completely botch by someone just doing the wrong this then so be it. By all accounts the surgeon did the right thing, however skin only stretches so far.
there is no need to go under the knife with some things your not happy about just look at some of the things available today in prosthetic attatchments. like the Lyfters and you can take them off and on when you want. people should do their homework b4 going under the knife
I had the same procedure done 18 months ago. It took me 3 months of research to find the right surgeon. I travelled 1800kms to go to this doctor as he has all the latest equipment and heaps of experience and training. He explained the risks and more, and also explained that if he took too much skin out of my eyelids I could have the same problem this woman now has. He told me that he wouldn't do anything to risk me having a bad outcome, even though it wasn't as dramatic a change as some would have expected. I am over the moon with the result I got, nobody but my partner knows I had this done, but many people commented on how rested I looked after the 3 week "holiday" I went on. I am not a vain person, but I know that I now look my age and not older than I am, as I did before. I had a personal self esteem issue with the way I looked and now I don't. I look good and I am very happy. If some people have an issue with that, too bad, I don't and it's my money to choose how I spend it.
I have no sympathy for people who do this. Plastic surgery should only be used by the one's who truly need it...i.e to repair disfigurements, burns etc. those who waste their money messing with mother nature because they "want" to look younger and more vibrant...if it stuffs up...tough luck. Your fault for going through it in the first place. People like this should have no grounds to sue on
You shouldn't have had the surgery - all surgeries have risks and you didn't even really need it - its not like it was life threatening. Suck it up. Sounds like you have had surgery before so maybe you should have been grateful for being healthy and spent the money on something less selfish.
".... went to plastic surgeon Dr Paul Barker to correct bumps on her eyelids from previous cosmetic procedures, but the latest procedure left her unable to fully close her eyes...." Of course she can't close her eyes! Where exactly did this woman think all the excess skin is gonna miraculously appear from if she's already had two COSMETIC procedures on her eyes. To blame the surgeon is an absolute joke not to mention a cop out. Be responsible for your actions lady!!!!
I agree with all the other comments, vanity is a curse really, and this woman clearly wasnt deformed or anything and in those cases plastic surgery if it can help someone to be comfortable in society, I say, yes, have it done. However, people are getting younger and younger and never being happy. Yes, some have good genes, but thems the breaks, I guess, and they eye area especially the lids would be a very vunerable are, and I still think she was willing to take the risk as she had had surgery before on this are. Plastic bodies, plastic minds I say.
When are we going to take responsibility for our own actions. Any surgery is a risk and a choice we make. Then to be disappointed with amount of payout you received. Assuming all checks were done with this doctor and he wasn't a back yard job, you have made the choice, accept responsibility for the outcome.


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