8 lose vision after cataract surgery in Kanpur

The victims, all residents of Veeramau village in Kanpur, said they underwent the surgery at a medical camp conducted by Aradhya Hospital on November 3 and 4.

Eight people in Kanpur lost vision in both eyes after a cataract surgery in a private hospital due to alleged medical negligence earlier this month, additional chief medical officer (ACMO) Dr S K Singh said on Thursday, adding a panel has been set up to probe the matter.

Dr Neeraj Gupta, who conducted the surgery and is now facing an FIR, said the patients lost their vision as they did not adhere to post-operation directions. (Shutterstock)

The victims, all residents of Veeramau village in Kanpur, said they underwent the surgery at a medical camp conducted by Aradhya Hospital on November 3 and 4.

Dr Neeraj Gupta, who conducted the surgery and is now facing an FIR, said the patients lost their vision as they did not adhere to post-operation directions.

Ramesh Prajapati (74), one of the victims, said he paid ₹ 1,500 for the surgery but lost his eyesight eventually. “I paid ₹1,500 for the surgery but I lost my eyesight after the operation. I returned to the hospital but they said they cannot do anything,” he said after appearing before the probe panel on Thursday.

Another victim, Sher Singh (70), complained of a severe headache and said his eyes were burning after the surgery.

“The doctors did not pay heed to my complaints at the hospital. The pain kept increasing due to the puss in both my eyes. I followed every instruction they gave me and despite that, I lost my eyesight. Only the hospital is to be blamed for this,” he said.

Dr Gupta alleged the patients did not follow post-operation directions.

“I performed 51 eye operations in all. Out of them, only eight developed an infection because they did not adhere to my directions. I had asked them to not put a piece of cloth on their eyes,” he said.

Dr Singh said an FIR has been registered against Dr Gupta and hospital agent Duresh Shukla under sections 338 (whoever causes grievous hurt to any person by doing any act so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life) and 419 (punishment for cheating) of Indian Penal Code.

The ACMO also directed two doctors – Dr Parvez Khan and Dr Shalini Mohan – at GSVM medical college to re-examine the patients.

Khan said six people had completely lost their eyesight. Efforts are on to see if we can help the remaining two, he said.

Preliminary investigation suggests the patients were not asked to undergo examinations like blood tests or blood pressure and sugar level were not checked before the operation, the ACMO noted, according to people familiar with the matter. Before the surgery, a medical camp was organised by the hospital on November 2.

Deputy commissioner of police (south) Pramod Kumar said a probe is underway. “The probe will be assisted by eye specialists from a government hospital,” he said.