She had a facelift, returned with distorted vision: The pitfalls of cosmetic surgery

As cosmetic procedures grow in popularity, doctors and legal experts weigh in on patient safety, psychological screening and accountability

Explaining his approach to cosmetic consultations, Dr Davalbhakta says his practice begins by understanding a patient's concerns, followed by an examination and a discussion of possible changes. (Source: Pexels/ Representational)

7 min readOct 17, 2026 08:15 AM IST First published on: Oct 17, 2026 at 08:14 AM IST

When Uma Dongre, a Pune-based copywriter in her 50s, considered undergoing a facelift, she wanted to discuss how the procedure could be adapted to account for her glaucoma, an eye condition that can damage the optic nerve. She questioned the need for additional procedures around her eyes, asked whether they could be postponed and suggested a shorter operation to reduce the risks she was concerned about.

The surgery went ahead on August 5, 2026. That evening, Dongre says, she noticed that her vision was distorted. She subsequently found that her visual-field test results had deteriorated compared with a test conducted before the operation. Dongre alleges that despite repeatedly raising concerns about her eye condition, blood pressure, fat grafting around her eyes and post-operative medication, the doctor did not have the detailed discussion she had sought. “I signed consent forms but did not feel that my specific concerns had been adequately addressed,” she says.