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Woman Unable To Close Eyes Now Suing N.J. Plastic Surgeon

PATERSON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A jury is deliberating the case of a New Jersey woman who says an eyelid procedure gone wrong is the reason she can no longer close her eyes.

Marilyn Leisz said she went to a Bergen County plastic surgeon to correct bumps on her eyelids from a cosmetic procedure performed by another doctor and now she can't fully close her eyes -- even when she sleeps.

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"...To blink I really have to really squeeze my eyes to ... fully close my eyes," Leisz told CBS 2's Christine Sloan.

The married mother of two from Bloomingdale was in court Tuesday suing Dr. Paul Parker for negligence. Parker's attorney told the jury Leisz was warned of the risks and that she never complained after the 2005 eyelid surgery called a blepharoplasty.

"This patient was given information about those risks," the attorney said.

Leisz disagrees. Her attorney played the opinion of another doctor who said she wasn't a good candidate for this surgery because she had had too many other procedures.

"He should have been honest with me and told me I was not a candidate and suggested other options for me," Leisz said.

Leisz said she has to use gel at night and a vaporizer so she doesn't scratch her eyes. She also says she's losing her vision and lives in fear of injuring her eyes.

"All the favorite things I used to, like tennis, racquetball, swimming, horseback riding, bike riding, skeet shooting, gardening, I can't do those things," Leisz said.

Leisz admitted to having multiple other procedures before going to Dr. Parker, but said she may be able to correct the problem but she's afraid to go under the knife.

Leisz is asking the jury for an unspecified amount of money. Deliberations resume Wednesday.

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