BENGALURU: Seven of the 24 patients, who developed drug reaction after undergoing cataract surgeries at state-run
Minto Ophthalmic Hospital
last month, have completely lost their vision in the operated eye.
While Minto authorities claim only two have failed to regain vision in the last one month, doctors at private hospitals fear five more have been equally affected.
“At our centre, of the 24 patients, only two lost vision in one eye, 12 have had partial vision loss and eight have regained normal eyesight,” claimed Dr BL Sujatha Rathod, director, Minto hospital.
A 66-year-old man suffering from chronic renal disorder and a 58-year-old woman with diabetes had lost their eyesight. “They are able to see from the other eye. So they are in the category of 30% visually disabled,” she added.
However, Dr Bhujang Shetty, chairman, Narayana Nethralaya, said the condition of five more patients, who were referred to the hospital, was no different and they had lost sight in the operated eye.
“In mid-July, Minto referred to us five patients in the first batch. They have not recovered from drug reaction and are unable to see. Two patients underwent repeat vitrectomy, a procedure to remove gel from eye. It made no difference to their condition and hence, we didn’t conduct vitrectomy on other three patients,” he said. The two had undergone the same procedure at Minto after the drug reaction.
In the second batch, Minto sent eight more patients to Netralaya and their condition has gradually improved.