Seven women who underwent free cataract surgery at a government
hospital in Tenkasi have complained of loss of vision and severe pain
in their eyes.
The women were referred from the Tenkasi government hospital to the Tirunelveli government medical college hospital after they complained of loss of vision. They have since been shifted to Aravind Eye Hospital in Tirunelveli.
Health and administrative officials admitted that the seven women, all aged above 60 years, suffered eye pain, but said loss of vision could not be confirmed, and further tests were needed.
A senior health official said there could be problems with the lens the women were fitted with during the surgery. Preliminary examination pointed to infection in the eye causing pain, the official said, though the reason for the infection needed to be investigated.
"At this stage, we cannot say there is loss of vision. We are taking all efforts to cure the women,'' said Tirunelveli collector C Samayamurthy. "The medicines administered to them on the day of surgery have been sent for lab tests. We are awaiting the report to ascertain what went wrong," he said.
Relatives of the women said they had complained of vision loss only after the surgery, and demanded action against the doctors.
A total of 13 women were chosen for cataract surgery from villages in and around Senthamaram during a camp approved by the District Blindness Control Society on April 8. While six women underwent surgery on April 10 at the Tenkasi government hospital, the remaining seven were operated on April 11 in one of their eyes. The next day those operated on April 11 started complaining of severe pain. They were brought to Tirunelveli GH and immediately shifted to Aravind Hospital. "We could not identify the exact problem. We cannot say if it was due to faulty surgery or medicines administered,'' said a doctor from Aravind Hospital. "The women claim to have lost vision. We are conducting tests and have begun treatment. The treatment would have to continue for a month. But there are chances of getting back vision if they have lost it,'' she said. A health officer also said that they are planning remedial surgery.
"After they were sent to the private hospital and intensive treatment commenced, the women said the pain has come down significantly. We are geared up to take all the measures and provide the best medication to the women,'' said the health officer.
In 2008, during a similar free eye surgery conducted by a private hospital in Perambalur, eight persons suffered total loss of vision while 65 complained of partial loss. After the incident, the government imposed strict norms for such free surgeries.
Source : TOI , Madurai ( 14th April 2013 )
The women were referred from the Tenkasi government hospital to the Tirunelveli government medical college hospital after they complained of loss of vision. They have since been shifted to Aravind Eye Hospital in Tirunelveli.
Health and administrative officials admitted that the seven women, all aged above 60 years, suffered eye pain, but said loss of vision could not be confirmed, and further tests were needed.
A senior health official said there could be problems with the lens the women were fitted with during the surgery. Preliminary examination pointed to infection in the eye causing pain, the official said, though the reason for the infection needed to be investigated.
"At this stage, we cannot say there is loss of vision. We are taking all efforts to cure the women,'' said Tirunelveli collector C Samayamurthy. "The medicines administered to them on the day of surgery have been sent for lab tests. We are awaiting the report to ascertain what went wrong," he said.
Relatives of the women said they had complained of vision loss only after the surgery, and demanded action against the doctors.
A total of 13 women were chosen for cataract surgery from villages in and around Senthamaram during a camp approved by the District Blindness Control Society on April 8. While six women underwent surgery on April 10 at the Tenkasi government hospital, the remaining seven were operated on April 11 in one of their eyes. The next day those operated on April 11 started complaining of severe pain. They were brought to Tirunelveli GH and immediately shifted to Aravind Hospital. "We could not identify the exact problem. We cannot say if it was due to faulty surgery or medicines administered,'' said a doctor from Aravind Hospital. "The women claim to have lost vision. We are conducting tests and have begun treatment. The treatment would have to continue for a month. But there are chances of getting back vision if they have lost it,'' she said. A health officer also said that they are planning remedial surgery.
"After they were sent to the private hospital and intensive treatment commenced, the women said the pain has come down significantly. We are geared up to take all the measures and provide the best medication to the women,'' said the health officer.
In 2008, during a similar free eye surgery conducted by a private hospital in Perambalur, eight persons suffered total loss of vision while 65 complained of partial loss. After the incident, the government imposed strict norms for such free surgeries.
Source : TOI , Madurai ( 14th April 2013 )
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