Cataract surgery complication: 9 patients lose vision in Bijapur, shifted to Raipur
Raipur
A fresh case of complications following cataract surgery has surfaced in Chhattisgarh, with nine patients reporting a significant loss of vision days after their procedures at the Bijapur District Hospital. All nine patients have since been admitted to the Pt. JNM Medical College-affiliated Dr B R Ambedkar Memorial Hospital (Mekahara) in Raipur for specialised treatment.
Eight of the patients underwent surgery on 24 October, while the ninth patient was operated on November 8. Following the vision loss, the patients returned to the Bijapur District Hospital, alerting the administration. They were immediately referred and transported to Mekahara in Raipur.
The affected patients include Awalem Dogga (56) of Tarrem, Punem Jimmo (62) of Timapur, Madiyam Mase (67) of Timapur, Alvam Kove (52) of Tarrem, Alvam Pojje (70) of Timapur, Budhni Dodhi (60), Padam Shanta (54), Peddu Lakshmi (62) of Timidi, and Alvam Some (70) of Tarrem. Among them are eight women and one man.
According to Ambedkar hospital superintendent Dr Santosh Sonkar, the patients developed post-operative infection in their eyes. He said that the cause of the infection—whether due to medical error or patient negligence—was not yet clear, noting that multiple factors could lead to such an outcome.
Dr Priyanka Shukla, Commissioner and Director, Health Services, has constituted a three-member probe team to investigate the matter. The team will submit its inquiry report within three days.
Dr Sonkar stated that all patients have undergone detailed eye examinations. While one patient’s eye appeared normal, the remaining eight showed complications. Five of these patients were immediately shifted to the operating theatre for further management. The other three received antibiotic injections. Their condition is being continuously observed.
He added that due to the swelling in the patients’ eyes, the extent of the impact on their vision cannot be clearly ascertained at this point. He estimated that it typically takes five to six weeks for the swelling to subside, after which a clear prognosis regarding their vision loss can be provided.
Dr Ratna Thakur, In-charge of the Bijapur District Hospital, confirmed that 14 patients were treated on 24 October. She maintained that during the first field visit, the patients showed no signs of complications.
The OT report for the 24 October surgeries was also sent to Jagdalpur on 3 November, and it returned negative for any infection. However, during the second field visit, conducted two weeks post-operation, some patients showed redness and tearing in their eyes. They were recalled to the District Hospital, and nine were promptly referred to Mekahara.
It is important to note that a similar incident occurred just last year in Dantewada, where 10 tribal elders lost their vision after allegedly flawed cataract surgeries. They were admitted to Ambedkar Hospital in Raipur. The state government had suspended three hospital staff in connection with that case.
In a historical context, over 50 people lost their vision in Chhattisgarh following botched cataract operations during two government camps on 22 September 2011. The victims were from Balod, Bagbahara, and Rajnandgaon-Kawardha. The incident, known locally as the ‘Aankhphodwa Kaand‘ (Eye-Gouging Scandal), resulted in the suspension of the Durg Chief Medical Officer, the Balod Block Medical Officer, and three eye surgeons.
