Medical Malpractice: Botched Cataract Surgery

When the lens of your eye starts clouding over, you are said to be suffering from cataract. The condition leads to gradual vision loss over a long span of time.

What causes cataract is not exactly known. It is considered a geriatric condition, normally seen in people in their mid to late sixties. It may also occur because of prolonged exposure to x-rays and other forms of radiation, bright sunlight, and certain medications and also as an after effect of certain diseases.

Medical negligence & cataract

The most effective way to treat cataract is by surgery. The defective natural lens is removed and an Intre-Ocular Lens (IOL) is implanted in its place. This is a revolutionary surgical method and eliminated the use of thick lens glasses worn by patients undergoing the surgery, prior to the introduction of the IOL method.

The malpractice angle, however, arises for two reasons: The failure to diagnose the cataract and delaying its subsequent treatment; and a botched cataract surgery that leads to post-operative infection and suffering and to blindness even. Over two million successful cataract surgeries are performed in the US every year and have given patients a vastly improved vision. Some, however, have not been that lucky.

Risks in cataract surgery

It is often seen in diabetics, cataract surgery can be risky if the patient's blood sugar level isn't under control. Many doctors fail to take due notice of this and proceed with the operation to the detriment of the patient later on. Post-surgery, the patient actually emerges with poorer vision than before.

The failure of the attending surgeon to take due precaution in the matter may be deemed to be medical negligence. It is also for the surgeon to check if the patient is suffering from any contagious disease like Hepatitis B or C or even AIDS so that any instruments used during the surgery may be either destroyed or properly sterilized before being used on someone else later.

Moreover, cataract surgery requires highly specialized, high-precision microsurgical equipment which the hospital or day care center might lack. Should the surgeon work in such circumstances leading to sufferings for the patient later on, the hospital may certainly be held liable for medical malpractice.

Being a relatively simple procedure, it is often a common trend among senior ophthalmologists to hand over cataract surgeries to their assistants and/or juniors who are either undertrained or inadequately experienced. This has often resulted in negative results, sometimes even with some very dire consequences.

When to secure legal help?

The question of taking legal help arises when you are convinced that your vision definitely has deteriorated after the surgery, you are having repeated bouts of infection, pain, swelling, and redness of the eye and which may lead to further trouble later on. However, it must be borne in mind that if you need to sue, you'll have to file the suit within a certain time limit after the surgery.

At Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff, & Wolff or RMFW Law, we specialize in such cases. Our team will do the necessary representation in court and get you your due compensation if you have been wronged and have suffered is a result of it. Consult us for free at 212-344-1000 and we'll tell you how to win if possible.

We know a winning case when we see one and we know what it takes too win. There is not any guarantees and that is why you lose nothing to speak to us since we do not charge anything up front. Call RMFW Law today!