Seven patients have complained of partial or complete loss of vision after undergoing cataract surgery at a hospital in Gujarat’s Patan district, leading to authorities to order a probe. The hospital said that the patients developed complications due to infection.
A total of 13 patients underwent surgery at the Sarvodaya Eye Hospital in Radhanpur town on February 2.
Sarvodaya Eye Hospital trustee Bharti Vakharia said of the seven patients, five were shifted to the M and J Institute Of Ophthalmology at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and two were shifted to a hospital in Visnagar town in Mehsana district, she added.
The Health and Family Welfare department has formed a committee to conduct an inquiry, said Health Minister Rushikesh Patel.
“Stern action will be taken against those found guilty of any negligence,” he told reporters here.
This was the second such incident in the state in a span of one month.
On January 10, 17 elderly persons suffered loss of vision due to infection after undergoing cataract surgery at a trust-run hospital at Mandal village of Ahmedabad district.
In the Patan district case, hospital trustee Vakharia said seven of the 13 patients who underwent a cataract operation returned three days later as they developed eye infections.
“The culture report of our operation theatre was normal, which proves that we were not at fault. A team of government doctors visited our hospital and collected samples for further probe,” she added
According to the doctors at the eye hospital in Ahmedabad, the five patients admitted there have blurry vision and can detect only hand movement.
“All five patients have developed blurry vision and other side effects such as watery eyes and red spots after their cataract surgery in Patan. Treatment is going on,” said Dr Umang Mishra, Resident Medical Officer.