Ontario woman says $10K cosmetic eye procedure 'destroyed' her life
Tracey Hassell of Georgetown, Ont. said her life’s biggest regret is getting cosmetic eye surgery three years ago, which she got because she was starting to notice bags under her eyes.
"I constantly feel things in both corners of my eyes, and it obscures the way I see things. I can no longer see very well,” said Hassell.
When she went to see a cosmetic surgeon, Hassell said she was told she needed a procedure called an orbital decompression, which was far more serious than she realized.
According to the European Society of Ophthalmic and Reconstructive Surgery’s website, “Orbital decompression is major surgery, and should only be considered after careful discussion with your ophthalmologist and with an understanding of all the associated risks.”
Hassell said she was unaware it was such a risky procedure.
“He stuck so many needles in my eyes, I don't even know what they were for," said Hassell.
Hassell said her life now involves constantly wearing eye masks, taking medications, and eye drops to deal with the botched cosmetic surgery.
The former fitness model left her sunglasses on when she spoke with CTV News Toronto but shared before and after photos showing how she looks now.
Tracey Hassell before her cosmetic eye procedure. (Courtesy of Tracey Hassell)
It's not just that she is unhappy with the outcome of her appearance, she says she is in constant pain and has been left with poor eyesight.
"I can’t drive. I can't read. I can't watch a movie with my husband. I’m basically housebound,” said Hassell.
The original surgery cost $10,000, and Hassell spent another $5,000 trying to correct the problem.
She said has been back to the doctor who performed the original surgery 20 times, but he will no longer see her, and her eyesight issues remain.
Plastic surgery is a multi-million dollar business in Canada, and the number of people seeking procedures has increased over the past three years.
Dave Hassell told CTV News Toronto when his wife first suggested cosmetic surgery, he told her it wasn't necessary, but then felt he should support her decision. Now, he wishes he hadn't.
"I would really say if this is the way you were born and it is pretty close to normal, then leave it alone, because the risk factors we've been through over the past three years are staggering and certainly not worth it,” he said.
Hassell says she wanted to share her story as a cautionary tale that cosmetic procedures are not guaranteed, and things can go horribly wrong.
"I had a wonderful life before, and it's been destroyed because of a couple of bags under my eyes that really weren't that noticeable. Complications can happen, mistakes can happen, some of them are irreversible, some of them can ruin your life," she said.
“I think people need to realize that aging is a natural process and we should love ourselves the way we are. I shouldn't have been judging myself, and I shouldn't have thought, ‘If I do this, everyone is going to accept me better, and everyone's going to like me better.’”
Hassell says she is hopeful she can find some relief from the pain of her eye surgery gone wrong.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.