Eye problems after Botox: crow’s feet, dry eye, what to do

Crow’s feet, the small fan-shaped lines at the corner of the eyes, are one of the areas treated with botulinum toxin. The injected muscle, the orbicularis oculi, surrounds the eye and helps close the eyelids: this explains most of the possible problems in this region. This page is part of our guide for when something goes wrong after an injection, organised area by area.

What problems can affect the eye area?

Two situations are specific to this area: crow’s feet that are too frozen, which make the smile less expressive around the eyes, and dry eye. Two other pages, attached to other areas, may also follow an injection at the corner of the eye: the puffy eyelid and the asymmetric smile.

The labels describe these effects. After treatment of crow’s feet, one type A toxin classes eyelid swelling, dry eye and bruising at the injection site as common¹. With another product, bruising at the injection site is common and eyelid swelling uncommon². The first label also advises avoiding injections too close to the zygomaticus major muscle, which lifts the corner of the mouth, so as not to cause the lip to droop¹: this is what can change the smile.

Each page details the cause, when it appears, how long it lasts and what can help.

Which signs mean you should see a doctor quickly?

Crow’s feet that are a little too smooth are bothersome but not dangerous. The eye, however, deserves particular attention. See a doctor promptly if your eye is painful or red, very dry, hard to close completely, or if your vision is blurred or double^1,2,3. The short-acting botulinum toxin (serotype E) label points out that reduced blinking can lead to damage to the cornea, which requires vigorous treatment³. Any difficulty swallowing, speaking or breathing means calling emergency services (15 or 112 in France, or your local emergency number).

Write down the date of the injection and the day the problem appeared, and if possible contact the doctor who performed the injection.

Why is the corner of the eye injected?

When it contracts, especially when you smile, the orbicularis creases the skin at the corner of the eye. Relaxing it softens crow’s feet. For this area, only some type A toxins have an aesthetic indication in France^1,2; the short-acting toxin is approved only for frown lines³, and as of 9 October 2026 in the European Union and Canada^4,5. With these type A toxins, the effect on crow’s feet has been shown for up to 4 months^1,2: this is also the usual maximum duration of an unwanted effect. To find out why and how crow’s feet are treated, see the page for this area in our atlas of treatment areas.

If it is mainly the eyelid that has changed, see the page on eyelids after an injection; if it is the smile, the page on the smile changed after an injection.