Optical Malpractice

Medical professionals who focus on optical issues are trusted by patients to care for one of our most important senses: our sight.  Injuries that adversely impact a patient’s vision can affect every aspect of his or her life.  However, opthamologists and other eye care physicians do make medical errors and mistakes.  Patients who have been injured by the malpractice of an eye doctor may suffer from blindness, pain, and other conditions that are equally debilitating.

The eye works in a way that is similar to a camera.  Light rays go into the eye and are refracted or bet by the cornea through the pupil.  The eye’s lens ensures that the rays come into sharp focus at the retina, the region at the back of the eye.  The image that appears on the retina is upside down.  Light rays are then converted into electrical impulses by the retina.  The optical impulses are then transmitted by the optic nerve to the brain where they are then translated and converted into an upright position.

One out of every 28 people in the United States over the age of 40 is affected by low vision and blindness.  With the increasingly aging population, there are more and more people who suffer from visual impairment.

Retinopathy of Prematurity

Premature babies may suffer from a disease of the eye known as retinopathy of prematurity.  This disease is the disruption in the normal development of blood vessels in the eye.  Scar tissue can develop in the eye, the retina can become damaged, and a child could become blind permanently if he or she is not properly monitored for this condition and it is not treated.

Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgery is becoming more and more common with the advancement of technology.  This procedure is being used to treat myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness, or astigmatism (irregular shape of the cornea leading to blurred vision).  Patients who undergo this procedure expect that they will get the clear vision they were promised.  However, many procedures do not go as planned due to an error or the malpractice of an eye doctor.  Patients can be left with permanent injury to their eye, including blindness.

If you or a loved one has been injured to the negligence of an eye doctor, contact an experienced Kingston, New York medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible to discuss your case.

But what do you think?  I would love to hear from you!  Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com.  You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.