Jaipur: Compensation for Botched Eye Surgery

Observing unfair trade practice, the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed two ophthalmologists to pay a compensation of Rs 20 lakh for performing botched-up eye surgery that resulted in the loss of sight in one eye of a patient.

The direction from the circuit bench of the Rajasthan Commission came while listening to a plea by the patient who had to take early retirement from service as he lost his vision after the cataract operation.

The patient, in his petition, alleged that he had gone to the Railway Hospital Lalgarh, Bikaner for a routine checkup back in July 2014. After consulting a doctor, the doctor allegedly referred him to a contractual eye specialist associated with the hospital.

The contractual ophthalmologist informed the petitioner that he had developed a cataract in one eye that needed to be operated on soon. Promising that his vision would be restored, the ophthalmologist allegedly charged Rs 16,000 as operating expenses.

However, after the premature surgery, there was a development of a white spot in the right eye of the patient, following which he lost his vision in that particular eye. Due to his loss of vision in one eye, he was demoted from his post and was forced to take early retirement.

Aggrieved, the patient approached the Commission.

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As per the latest media report by the Times of India, after hearing all the arguments, the commission opined that the two ophthalmologists conspired and had done the cataract operation prematurely using the money of the petitioner. Observing the act being an unfair trade practice, the commission directed both the doctors to pay Rs 5 lakh each.

The commission further asked the doctor, who had conducted the operation, to pay an additional Rs 10 lakh for loss of sight on one eye of the petitioner.

"The two doctors in connivance operated prematurely for cataract of the railway employee just with an eye on the money of the petitioner. This constitutes unfair trade practice. So, both the doctors had to pay Rs 5 lakh each. The doctor who performed the operation had to pay an additional Rs 10 lakh for loss of sight on one eye of the petitioner."

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