Sight Loss Claims
If you have partially or totally lost your sight due to substandard medical care, please get in touch with us at Glynns Solicitors. We are a niche clinical negligence law firm and can help you make a claim against those at fault.
There are many different ways in which medical error can lead to sight loss. We explore some potential claims below, but whatever the cause of your sight loss, we can help you. Simply contact us for a free initial enquiry.
Pituitary tumour sight loss claim
The pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain. It is part of the endocrine system and makes hormones, and controls other hormone glands.
If a tumour develops on the pituitary gland, it can press upon the optic nerve, as well as other nerves that enable sight/eye movement. This will cause problems with vision, including reduced sight, blurring vision or double vision.
The loss of sight or peripheral vision will often be accompanied by headaches. There are also other symptoms associated with a pituitary tumour, such as fatigue, menstrual changes, infertility, impotence, irritability and mood changes.
When a patient reports these symptoms, he/she should be investigated for a pituitary tumour. A blood test will show any hormonal abnormalities, and a CT scan or MRI scan will reveal if there is a mass on the pituitary gland.
If caught early enough, tumours on the pituitary gland can be easily removed with surgery. The patient's hormone function may be affected, so this should be tested after the operation. If there are any issues, hormone medication may be required for the duration of the patient's life.
But if the tumour is left untreated, it can continue to grow. This makes it much harder for the surgical team to remove the tumour and a complicated craniotomy may be required.
Unfortunately a large tumour may be significantly involved with the optic nerve, meaning the optic nerve is damaged during the operation. The patient can be left partially or completely blind after the procedure. This damage will be permanent and irreversible.
If a patient loses their sight because medical practitioners failed to investigate the symptoms of a pituitary tumour, causing a delay in diagnosis and treatment, there will be a claim for negligence.
There are cases of patients seeking medical advice for their symptoms for years before a diagnosis is eventually made. This delay in diagnosis allows the tumour time to grow, increasing the risk of optic nerve damage and sight loss. Such complications could have been avoided, had the tumour been diagnosed and removed at an earlier stage.
Other tumours pressing on the eye
Other types of tumour can press upon the eye, optic nerve or surrounding nerves. A brain tumour is a particularly common cause of sudden sight loss, and the tumour can even wrap around the optic nerve, making it difficult to remove.
As with a pituitary tumour, if there is a delay in diagnosing a patient's cancer and this causes them to lose their sight, there could be grounds for a medical negligence compensation claim.
Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy, or diabetic eye disease, is when persistently high blood glucose levels damage the retina in the back of the eye.
Diabetes is when the pancreas does not produce any/enough insulin, or the body does not respond well to the insulin it does produce. Insulin is a hormone which helps us transfer glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream and into the cells, where it is then transformed into energy.
Without insulin, the sugar levels in the blood will continue to increase. Someone with diabetes can keep their glucose levels under control by injecting/ingesting insulin, and with a healthy diet.
But if blood glucose levels are not controlled, it can cause damage across the body, including the eyes. More specifically, it can make the blood vessels at the back of the eye to bleed. These blood vessels supply the retina, providing it with oxygen-rich blood. Once the vessels begin to bleed, the retina will become deficient in oxygen and the cells will start to die.
If left untreated, diabetic retinopathy can deteriorate until there is significant scarring and bleeding on the retina. This can result in the reduction of sight and total blindness.
To prevent the complications associated with diabetic retinopathy, everyone with diabetes in England and Wales should be offered an annual eye test. If any abnormalities are discovered, the necessary treatment must be given.
The type of treatment will depend upon how far advanced the retinopathy has become. If caught in the early stages, it may be sufficient to limit the effects of retinopathy just through lifestyle changes. If the problem has become advanced, the patient may need laser therapy, surgery or injections into the eye.
If a diabetes sufferer loses their sight, and this could have been prevented with better medical care, there could be a case of medical negligence. Medical errors that may lead to a successful claim include:
- Failure to offer eye screening
- Failure to detect and act upon early signs of retinopathy
- Failure to provide the correct treatment
- Poorly performed treatment that causes eye damage
- Not monitoring and controlling blood glucose levels when a patient is in hospital
Other causes of sight loss
If you lost your sight due to medical error but the circumstances are not described here, please still get in touch. We deal with all types of medical negligence claim and can help you get the justice you deserve, whatever the nature of your case.
Claiming compensation for your damages
To find out if you can make a sight loss claim, please get in touch with us at Glynns Solicitors.
Losing your sight can be unbelievably devastating and will affect everything you do, including your ability to work, cook, leave the house alone, care for children and do housework. You will be entitled to claim compensation to reflect the terrible impact sight loss has had upon your life. To discover if you are entitled to such compensation, speak to one of our legal experts today.
Contact us today
To find out more about making a medical negligence claim, please get in touch with our team today. We will advise whether or not you are eligible to pursue a claim for compensation. If so, we can help you get the financial redress you deserve.
Please call us free on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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