Delayed Diagnosis & Treatment of Serious Eye Infection

Background

Mrs L had a history of hereditary cataracts and had lens implantations in both eyes in 1984. From then she experienced no significant eye problems until mid-2016. Following routine eye examinations she was referred to hospital where she was seen in the eye clinic with a deteriorating condition affecting her left eye. She was offered corneal graft surgery to correct the problem.

Approximately eight weeks post-discharge, Mrs L awoke to find that she could see nothing out of her left eye. There was no eye clinic available that day, so she attended A&E where she was diagnosed with conjunctivitis and advised to attend the eye clinic two days later.

Mrs L attended the eye clinic where, after some delay, she was diagnosed as suffering from endophthalmitis, a serious bacterial infection, which requires urgent treatment to avoid loss of sight. 

Unfortunately, the extent of the negligent eye care meant that Mrs L’s sight could not be saved. The damage to her eye was so severe that her eyeball needed to be removed. 

The delayed treatment claim was pursued on the basis that inadequate surgical technique during the corneal graft resulted in a suture coming loose, allowing an infection to enter the eyeball. When Mrs L attended A&E, she should have been referred urgently to the on-call ophthalmologist. With appropriate treatment, her eye would have been saved.

Settlement

The Defendant made some admissions of breach of duty and causation in the protocol Letter of Response. The claim was settled for £80,000 prior to the issue of proceedings, with £40,000 representing special damages.

This case was led by Corrina Mottram.

NOTE: While our case studies are designed to give an indication of the outcomes that can be achieved in these circumstances, the compensation awarded in individual cases can vary significantly due to a range of factors, including effects on life expectancy, the severity of the medical negligence that took place, and the financial impact.