Man Used Massage Gun on His Tired Eyes, Resulting in Retinal Damage
A man applied a massage gun directly to his eyes weekly for three months to relieve eye fatigue, causing retinal dialysis and tears. Laser treatment saved his vision.
In a case reported in BMJ Case Reports, a man confessed to using a percussion massage gun on and around his eyes on a weekly basis for three months to alleviate eye fatigue. Doctors noted he had no history of psychiatric conditions or drug use.
The physicians acknowledged that percussive massage therapy can benefit soft tissues like muscles, but it can cause serious damage to eyeballs. The rapid compression from the gun likely pushed the eyeballs back, causing them to bulge sideways and leading to retinal dialysis. Unusually, the dialysis occurred in the inferotemporal quadrant (lower outer area) of the eye, whereas blunt trauma typically causes it in the superior temporal quadrant.
Doctors used laser therapy to repair retinal tears and seal the breaks. At a six-month follow-up, the man's condition was stable with preserved vision, despite a high risk of vision loss. The positive outcome was attributed to the patient seeking prompt medical attention after noticing symptoms.
