Kakinada: Nine persons have allegedly lost their sight totally or partially due to post-operative endopthalmitis after cataract surgery was performed on them in April at the Lions District Eye Hospital of Jaggampet.
Two of the persons have reportedly been required to have their eyes removed at a hospital in Visakhapatnam.
East Godavari District Blindness Control Society programmme manager P Mallikarjuna Raju told this newspaper, “At least 17 patients underwent cataract surgery one and a half months ago at the Lion Koduri Ranga Rao Srimati Subba Lakshmi Lions District Eye Hospital in Jagammapet. It was a good hospital but of late it does not have a permanent ophthalmologist. They are getting surgeons from outside. In this case, 13 out of 17 developed post-operative endo-pthalmitis.”
Endopthalmitis is an inflammation of the interior of the eye. Under certain conditions, it could occur after all intraocular surgeries, particularly cataract surgery, and could result in possible loss of vision and the eye itself.
He added, “Due to lack of postoperative hygiene, they may have developed this. Some of the patients who went to the hospital as a follow up were taken to the LV Prasad Eye Institute in Visaka-hapatnam where they underwent treatment and vision was partially restored.”
He said three of them had reportedly lost their vision totally as they did not report back to the hospital in time. “I do not know exactly how many people have lost their sight,” he said.
The official said an inquiry was on into the incident though prima facie there was no negligence of the surgeons or the hospital. “We will find out whose negligence led to it,” said Mr Rao. Seven patients were from Vetlapalem in Samalkot mandal, one each from Rachapalli in Prathipadu mandal and J. Kothuru in Jaggampet mandal. Much after the surgery, they were not cured.
