A French woman’s use of hair dye led to a significant health concern regarding her vision. Medical professionals have reported that following the application of a hair dye containing specific chemicals, the woman began to suffer from retinal detachment and vision loss. Fortunately, her eyesight eventually returned to normal once she ceased using the product and switched to alternatives with different ingredients.
Doctors from Edouard Herriot Hospital and the LEO Ophthalmological Center in France documented this unusual medical occurrence in a case report published in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology. The report reveals that the 61-year-old woman sought medical attention a few days after noticing blurred vision in both eyes. Diagnostic tests confirmed that her symptoms were due to retinal damage, a condition known as retinopathy.
With no previous medical history to explain the retinal damage and no common causes such as infection or cancer detected, the doctors were prompted to investigate further. It was discovered that prior to the onset of her symptoms, the woman had recently used a commercially available hair dye containing para-phenylenediamine.
Para-phenylenediamine is classified under aromatic amines, a group of chemicals. Doctors familiar with other instances of middle-aged women developing retinopathy following the use of hair dye containing aromatic amines were able to draw parallels. Consequently, they diagnosed the woman with retinopathy associated with hair dye use containing aromatic amines (RAHDAA).
The presentation of RAHDAA bears resemblance to another form of retinopathy related to anti-cancer drugs that inhibit MEK proteins. Both these drugs and aromatic amines potentially cause retinal damage by disrupting a pathway critical for the maintenance and survival of retinal pigment epithelial cells. While RAHDAA appears to be a rare condition, cases suggest that individuals with scalp injuries who use hair dyes containing aromatic amines might face a higher risk, although the woman in this instance did not have such injuries.
The woman’s outcome was favorable. She stopped using the problematic dye, and within four months, her vision was restored with no remaining signs of retinal detachment. A follow-up examination four years later confirmed her vision remained normal, although some residual, asymptomatic retinal changes from the dye were observed.
Although these occurrences are considered rare, the report’s authors emphasize that medical professionals should be aware of this condition. They recommend considering the possibility of amine-containing dyes as a cause of retinal issues in patients, particularly when other common causes have been ruled out.
