The National Consumer Commission recently held a doctor negligent. And it was for a reason that could have been easily avoided.
A patient had consulted the doctor with complains of myopia. The doctor performed LASIK procedure which caused retinal detachment. Two procedures were performed subsequently to treat retinal detachment – first time using gas and the second time using silicon gel – both failed.
The patient was then referred to another specialist who opined that irreparable damage had been done to the eye.
The doctor stated in defence that patient used lens after LASIK procedure which was the real cause behind retinal detachment.
The Commission rejected this defence and stated the following:
“Post-LASIK complications were neither explained to the patient nor were requisite steps taken to educate her about the prognosis. The doctor not only kept her in dark about the treatment for microstriae, but also did not take reasonable care to avoid decentred ablation”.
“Only one precaution has been mentioned in the discharge summary – to avoid water in the operative eye for one week. No advice for not using the contact lens has been mentioned in it”.
The doctor was held negligent and the patient was awarded seventeen lakh rupees compensation! Not explaining known complications proved to be quite an expensive affair.
Source: Order pronounced by National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, on 1st April, 2021