Cataract problems are one of the common eye problems among the aged population. This surgical procedure is conducted to remove the cloudy lens of the eyes and replace it with an artificial lens. A cloudy lens affects your vision and therefore, it needs to be immediately corrected with surgery.
Cataracts cause a lot of vision problems that might interfere with your daily life activities. However, even after surgery, you might face severe complications because of the negligence of the surgeon. Some possible risks include- infection, bleeding, blood clots, drooping eyelids, retinal detachment, and a rise in eye pressure. Below, some of these risks have been discussed.
If you believe that there has been malpractice, retaining a cataract surgery expert witness would be highly recommended. You can do this by consulting an experienced lawyer.
Retinal detachment–
This is one of the common side-effects that happen after cataract surgery. There can be malpractice lawsuits against the surgeon if it includes misdiagnosis or informed consent. If retinal pathology symptoms are found, it is imperative to perform a dilated exam. The outcome of retinal detachment will depend on the length and extent of the detachment.
Eye infections–
Post-surgical eye infections are known as endophthalmitis. Any kind of vision problems or pain in the eyes will require immediate medical attention.
Informed consent–
The surgeon needs to inform the patients regarding the benefits and risks before performing the surgery. Also, the previous medical history needs to be checked to rule out any other serious diseases.
After explaining the pros and cons, if the patient consents to the surgery both in verbal and written form, then the surgeon should proceed further. Informed consent is the agreement that happens between you and your healthcare provider on the permission of treatment and services. You can file a case of malpractice if the surgeon fails to obtain this consent.
Role of expert witnesses:
Expert witnesses are chosen based on the surgery type. For example, if you have sustained injuries during glaucoma surgery, you need to retain a glaucoma surgery expert witness. In this context, the attorney will call upon a cataract expert witness to obtain medico-legal reports. Moreover, eye surgery malpractices are technical because the majority of the fault happens during the surgery. Pre-operative and post-operative malpractices are also very much prevalent but it involves complex elements which only an expert witness can evaluate. Moreover, they are called upon to offer expert testimony and deposition services in court trials. Expert witnesses prepare an unbiased report based on the case facts. Moreover, their main role is to determine where exactly the surgeon was at fault. Proving surgical malpractices in the eyes of law is quite difficult and if you want to get your compensation, you’ll need to hire an ophthalmologist expert witness. Moreover, there’s a certain time limit within which the lawsuit needs to be filed. If you delay, you lose your compensational rights. Hence, you should immediately seek assistance from an attorney before it gets too late!
