Woman Ordered to Pay Surgeon After Botched Eye Surgery

Beijing. What if one had to sleep with their eyes open? Due to a failed eye surgery, a Chinese woman has been unable to completely close her eyes for six years. Even more surprisingly, after she made her experience public, the court has instead ordered the woman to pay a large sum of compensation to the surgeon.

In June 2020, a woman surnamed Wang went to Meixi Cosmetic Surgery Clinic in Suzhou city, Jiangsu province, China, for a double eyelid surgery. The surgery was performed by a surgeon named Meng, who also claimed to be the marketing director of the clinic. Wang paid the clinic 12,000 yuan (approximately 1,800 US dollars) for the surgery.

Wang returned home the same day after the surgery. However, she started experiencing severe pain that night. When the pain became unbearable, she contacted Meng. Meng gave a general response, saying everything would be fine in a few days. But as time passed, the problem worsened. Her eyelids began to turn outwards, and her eyes started tearing continuously. After Meng stopped answering her calls, Wang sought treatment at a local hospital.

Doctors at the hospital concluded that her tear duct was damaged and the surgery was performed incorrectly. They suggested corrective surgery. Although Wang later underwent corrective surgery, her eyelids did not return to normal completely. To this day, she cannot fully close her eyes even when sleeping.

A medical evaluation conducted in 2022 classified her eye damage as a level 9 disability, where level 10 is considered the most severe. According to Wang, this incident has had a severe psychological impact on her life. She said, 'I felt ashamed to go to work and meet people. Then I suffered from depression and insomnia.'

A subsequent investigation revealed that Meng did not have a valid medical license, and the clinic where she worked also lacked a legal business operating permit. Wang then filed a lawsuit against Meng in court. Before the court delivered its verdict, Meng's side proposed a settlement with Wang to avoid jail time. Eventually, both parties reached a settlement. According to the agreement, Meng agreed to pay Wang 850,000 yuan (approximately 125,000 US dollars) in compensation.

However, in return, Wang had to agree to remove all posts she had made on social media, not to pursue legal action again, and not to speak to any media outlets about the surgery. The agreement also stipulated that if Wang violated these terms, she would have to pay Meng 400,000 yuan.

Wang had hoped to return to a normal life after the settlement. But according to her, Meng later started defaming her and her brother-in-law by posting videos on social media. In response, Wang's sister-in-law released evidence of Meng practicing medicine illegally. Wang herself started appearing in some videos, sharing her experience. This move was deemed a violation of the settlement terms, and Meng filed a lawsuit against Wang again.

This year, the court ruled that the settlement terms were valid and ordered Wang to return 400,000 yuan to Meng. Wang attempted to seek a review through a higher authority, but her petition was rejected on May 23. Currently, through social media, Wang has urged other women to exercise caution regarding cosmetic surgery. 'It is very difficult to protect one's rights. May all women learn from my experience. Think carefully before undergoing cosmetic surgery, because it can lead to lifelong regret,' she recently said on social media.