Gujarat: Seven patients complain of vision loss after cataract surgery, probe ordered
Patan, Feb 9: At least seven persons have complained of partial or complete loss of vision after undergoing cataract surgery at a trust-run hospital in Patan district of Gujarat, prompting authorities to order a probe.
Of total 13 persons who underwent surgery at Sarvodaya Eye Hospital in Radhanpur town on February 2, seven patients developed complications due to infection, said hospital trustee Bharti Vakharia.
Five of them were shifted to the M and J Institute Of Ophthalmology at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and two were shifted to a hospital in Visnagar town in Mehsana district, she added.
The Health and Family Welfare department has formed a committee to conduct an inquiry, said Health Minister Rushikesh Patel.
"Stern action will be taken against those found guilty of any negligence," he told reporters here.
This was the second such incident in the state in a span of one month. On January 10, as many as 17 elderly persons suffered loss of vision due to infection after undergoing cataract surgery at a trust-run hospital at Mandal village of Ahmedabad district.
In the present case, hospital trustee Vakharia said seven of the 13 patients who underwent cataract operation returned three days later as they developed eye infections.
"The culture report of our operation theatre was normal, which proves that we were not at fault. A team of government doctors visited our hospital and collected samples for further probe," she added.
According to the doctors at the eye hospital in Ahmedabad, the five patients admitted there have blurry vision and can detect only hand movement.
"All five patients have developed blurry vision and other side effects such as watery eyes and red spots after their cataract surgery in Patan. Treatment is going on," said Dr Umang Mishra, Resident Medical Officer.
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Heavy rain, hailstorms likely to lash Uttarakhand on Tuesday; IMD issues warning
Dehradun/Pithoragarh (PTI): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for heavy rain and hailstorms across several districts of Uttarakhand on Tuesday, as temperatures remained markedly below normal in the region.
Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar districts. Most places across all districts are expected to receive light to moderate rain or thunderstorms, while higher reaches are likely to witness snowfall, officials said on Monday.
The weather department warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, hail and intense spells of rain in six districts, including Dehradun and Nainital. Gusty winds with speeds reaching 40-50 kmph are also expected at isolated locations in these areas and other hilly districts.
In the state capital, Dehradun, the sky is forecast to remain partly cloudy with light rain and thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds of 30-40 kmph.
The maximum and minimum temperatures in the city are expected to hover around 31 degrees Celsius and 19 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Maximum temperatures during the past 24 hours remained markedly below normal in the hills and appreciably below normal in the plains. While no significant change in temperature is expected over the next 2-3 days, the IMD predicts a rise of 3-5 degrees Celsius during the subsequent 3-4 days.
Rainfall was recorded in several areas after 8.30 am today, with Ramnagar receiving 31.5 mm and Nainital recording 26.5 mm. Other areas, including Pithoragarh, Khatima and Champawat, also reported moderate precipitation.
Authorities have stopped a batch of 36 Adi Kailash pilgrims at the Dharchula base camp and placed the high-altitude yatra route on high alert following heavy rains and hailstorms in the district on Monday.
Dharchula SDM Ashish Joshi said the pilgrimage was halted due to adverse weather conditions. The issuance of new inner-line passes has been suspended until the weather normalises.
With 1,700 passes issued so far, pilgrims already at higher camps are being monitored for safety, the official added.
