Kerala: Compensation after patient loses eyesight

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Ernakulam Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed a hospital and ophthalmologist to pay Rs one lakh and refund the treatment cost of a patient who lost vision in his left eye following alleged medical negligence. The victim identified as Kesavan Nair T.S. of Muvattupuzha had sought treatment from the hospital on February 27, 2012. He was suffering from irritation in the left eye for around 12 days before that due to dust particle that went in.  The doctor advised a corneal replacement surgery which was done in March, and he was discharged in five days. 

By April his vision began to fade, despite the use of a prescribed eye drop. A second surgery was done on the cornea but the surgeon Dr Aneeta Jabbar left the operation theatre abruptly handing over the charge to one Dr Seema who was allegedly heard telling nurses that patient's cornea had ruptured. A third operation was done free of charge, but the colour of the eye turned yellow upon which Mr Nair approached a prominent eye hospital at Madurai. 

The ophthalmologists there cured the eye infection in 15 days but said that they couldn't operate on the cornea as its peripheries were stitched multiple times. With this, he approached the forum seeking Rs 5 lakh compensation. The forum after examining evidence and versions of doctors ruled that the surgeon who left the theatre abruptly acted carelessly and ordered to pay up compensation.