Botched surgery and eye closure issue
Botched surgery — BEWARE: I can’t close my eyes, and I have scars everywhere
I had surgery with Dr. Carlos Illich in June 2025, and I honestly regret it. I am still dealing with significant scarring and the inability to fully close my eyes more than a year later.
The doctor needs to perform revisions on the scars he left everywhere, especially behind my ears. I cannot wear my hair up when I do ballet, go to the gym, or participate in other activities because the scars are so noticeable.
I also had a tummy tuck, and I still have a pouch along the scar line. Why would I have a tummy tuck just to have the same pouch, but now with a scar?
And then there are my eyes. They still do not close completely, which has negatively changed my life and has been emotionally damaging.
I have spent a significant amount of money on eye gel, not just eye drops, and I have needed to use it almost every 15 minutes. Every night, I have to tape my eyes shut to sleep.
His surgical strategy was very aggressive, and I am the one who has been left dealing with the consequences.
What makes this even more frustrating is that the business has not responded to my emails, calls, or messages regarding a revision quote. This has been very unprofessional and strange.
Dr. Illich may have good bedside manner, but good bedside manner does not make up for results that have physically and emotionally affected my life.
Also, PLEASE be careful when looking at the reviews. From my experience, many reviews are posted at discharge or very soon after surgery, when patients are still in the early stages of recovery. At that point, you may feel happy because you are excited about the surgery, but you do not yet know what your final results will be.
I also noticed that many of the Instagram comments appeared to come from the same two or three people. In my opinion, that is a red flag.
I strongly recommend looking for reviews from people who are six months, one year, or even longer out from surgery. Ask about their actual long-term results and what happened when they experienced problems or needed revisions.
I am sharing my experience because I wish someone had warned me before I made this decision. Do your research, and do not base your decision only on the consultation, bedside manner, or early reviews.
PS; This doctor: DR. CARLOS ILLICH NAVARRO has many websites!