Laser Eye Surgery Lawsuit Results in $2.1M Settlement
According to the New Jersey Star-Ledger, a prominent New Jersey laser eye surgeon has agreed to settle a medical malpractice lawsuit for $2 million after performing a corrective vision procedure on a man who should have been ruled out due to a pre-existing eye condition. Most people do not appreciate the risk of medical error associated with Lasik surgery. However, with over a million of the procedures performed each year, laser eye surgery malpractice does occur, and it can result in devastating vision problems.
The plaintiff in the recently settled laser eye surgery lawsuit was left legally blind after his Lasik procedure, with vision worse than 20/400 without corrective lenses. The lawsuit alleged that he was not properly screened before undergoing the eye surgery, as he had a condition known as “steep corneas”, which led to bulging of the corneas, known as corneal ectasia, in both eyes.
Lasik stands for “laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis”. During the eye surgery, a surgical instrument known as a microkeratome is used to cut through the top layers of the cornea to create a flap. A laser beam is used to reshape the cornea for vision correction and the corneal flap is replaced. Most eye surgeons have performed thousands of these procedures, but they often spend very little time with the patient evaluating whether they should be considered a candidate for the surgery.
Although marketing materials provided by doctors and the laser eye centers often highlight the safety of the procedures, they are still medical procedures which carries the risk of human error or neglect. Lasik complications are actually more common than advertising materials would lead you to believe.
LASER EYE SURGERY LAWYERS
Laser eye surgery lawsuits which are filed, often stem from carelessness during pre-surgery screening, incorrect operation of the equipment during the procedure or negligent post-operative follow up. The Lasik lawyers at Saiontz, Kirk & Miles, P.A. review potential medical malpractice lawsuits throughout the United States for severe and permanent injuries associated with laser eye surgery.
If you, a friend or family member have suffered complete vision loss, or debilitating side effects from laser eye surgery, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.
