Shoosmiths recently concluded a claim for damages against Midlands consultant eye surgeon Mr Tristan Reuser at Midland Eye. The case concerned treatment of glaucoma by an ophthalmologist whose clinical interests do not include glaucoma.
According to Amy Greaves, a solicitor in the firm’s medical negligence team, the treatment of such conditions should be undertaken by a specialist ophthalmologist. If a patient sees a doctor privately and they do not have the relevant expertise, an appropriate referral should be made as would happen in the NHS.
Amy handled the successful compensation claim on behalf of Mrs G F, a 69 year-old lady who was treated by Mr Reuser for acute angle closure glaucoma. According to his online profile Mr Reuser specialises in eye plastic surgery, lacrimal, orbital, eyelid tumour and cataract services. Mrs G F who instructed Shoosmiths paid privately for treatment from Mr Reuser to treat her glaucoma conditions.
Mrs G F attended Midland Eye when she suffered an acute loss of vision in her left eye. She was advised to undergo insertion of a multi focal lens. She instead should have been treated with laser iridotomy and a mono focal lens.
Unfortunately, Mrs GF suffered complications which required her to undergo surgery to remove the multi focal lens and undergo insertion of a mono focal lens. Despite this she continued to suffer from difficulties and ultimately required a corneal transplant. She still suffers from distorted vision which continues to impact on her day to day life.
Mrs G F said:
‘My whole life has been affected by the negligent treatment I received. I should be enjoying my retirement with my husband but my much impaired eyesight affects almost everything on a daily basis. I’ve had to attend numerous medical appointments and my independence has been greatly affected.’
Amy Greaves said:
‘It is of course important that any eye condition is swiftly and correctly identified. Any delay in treatment can have devastating consequences and that was the motivation for our client electing to go private. The successful civil claim for Mrs G F was based on the fact that Mr Reuser appears not to be a glaucoma specialist and carried out the wrong procedure.’
During the course of the claim, Mr Reuser admitted that his decision to insert a multi focal lens was negligent. Had Mrs G F undergone laser treatment, or had a mono focal lens been used, on the balance of probabilities, all of her ongoing difficulties would have been avoided.
Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is recommended that specific professional advice is sought before acting on any of the information given. © Shoosmiths LLP 2024
