Ophthalmology is the section of medicine that relates to eyes and visual systems. Ophthalmic injuries, injuries to the eye, can vary in severity from causing mild discomfort or impaired vision for a short period of time, up to being left with permanent damage to your sight or even blindness.
The loss of vision, regardless of the duration, is devastating and can be extremely hard to come to terms with. This is even more distressing when your injuries have been caused as a result of negligent medical care.
While the majority of ophthalmic treatments are performed safely, mistakes can have severe consequences.
Causes of eye injuries can include:
- Misdiagnosed or delay in diagnosis of eye conditions such as keractasia, glaucoma, cataracts, and retinal detachment.
A late diagnosis of your eye condition can affect the type of treatment you receive, but a misdiagnosis could prevent you from receiving the correct treatment and deny you the best opportunity to make a full recovery.
Whilst sometimes a diagnosis can only be made by a process of elimination, there are occasions when a diagnosis could have been made sooner if symptoms had been investigated and patients had been referred to specialists. Delays can also occur when results or reports are not acted upon or interpreted correctly.
- Negligent Laser surgery (LASIK, SMILE, PRK, LASEK and TransPRK)
As with any surgery, laser eye surgery can be conducted negligently if the surgeon makes an error or fails to undertake standard procedure. We must establish that the medical professional acted in a way that no other responsible medical professional would have done.
In certain situations, patients may be contraindicated for laser eye surgery, which means there is a reason why laser eye surgery was not appropriate. Reasons for contraindication can be wide ranging but common factors are: age, existing eye conditions, autoimmune conditions or specific medication.
- Lens surgery (Intraoperative lens surgery (IOL) and Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE))
Lens surgery often becomes an option where laser surgery is not suitable, and the procedure involves an artificial lens being placed in the eye to correct your vision. You may also undertake lens surgery to remove cataracts.
As above, this type of surgery can be conducted negligently, if the surgeon acts in a way no other responsible medical professional would have done.
Though rare, this type of surgery is prone to ‘never event’ mistakes. Most commonly this is where the surgeon inserts the wrong prescription lens. Such treatment then results in the patient having to undergo further surgery to correct the mistake.
- Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes in which the retina of the eye becomes progressively damaged. With prompt treatment the prognosis is good, but if untreated diabetic retinopathy can cause partial, and ultimately total, loss of vision.
In the early stages there are no symptoms, so all diabetics aged 12 and over should have their retinas checked once a year to identify any changes.
The type of treatment required will depend upon how advanced the condition has become and may involve more frequent monitoring, help to achieve better diabetic control, and laser treatment.
- Traumatic eye injuries
If a penetrating wound is identified, an immediate referral to an ophthalmic expert should be made. Delayed treatment may result in infection, increased scarring and loss of vision.
Making an ophthalmic injury claim
Injuries to the eye can occur as an accident in everyday life i.e. personal injury, through an accident at work, or as a result of clinical negligence.
You may be entitled to seek compensation for your eye injury, but in order to do so must establish that your injuries could have been reasonably prevented and that the harm was caused as a result of the actions or omissions of another.
Compensation in such claims can cover the pain, suffering and loss of amenity that you experienced, the costs of your corrective treatment, any loss of earnings incurred, and your ongoing care and rehabilitation.
If you want to make an ophthalmic injury claim we can offer you a free consultation in which our team of legal professionals will establish the nature of your injuries and the key details of how they occurred. With this detail our team will be able to assess if your potential claim has a sufficient prospects of success, and therefore if can offer to take it on a no win no fee basis.
Our team are here to help you when you need it
Ison Harrison are a trusted and respected solicitors in the Yorkshire area and we have many years’ experience in successfully proceeding with clinical negligence claims.
Our team of clinical negligence lawyers are diligent and highly experienced and can handle your claim with the highest skill.
Our compassionate approach means that we consider every aspect of your injury and how you need to recover and rehabilitate.
Contact Ison Harrison today
Our solicitors in Leeds and Yorkshire are here to help you when you need it most, so contact us today to discuss your ophthalmic injury claim. We want ensure your life resumes some normality as soon as possible and you are suitably compensated for your injuries.
Call us on 0113 284 5000 or email clinneg@isonharrison.co.uk for advice.
