Eye surgery claims

Ophthalmic negligence occurs when an eye care professional, such as an ophthalmologist or optician, fails to provide the appropriate standard of care, resulting in harm or injury to a patient. Over many years, our specialist medical negligence solicitors at Pennington Manches Cooper have helped many individuals affected by negligent eye treatment, and can fully support your eye surgery compensation claim.

Expert eye surgery negligence claims solicitors

For many of us, sight is our most valued sense. It isn’t difficult to appreciate how catastrophic visual impairment can be. If you lose vision, you may need significant adaptations to your home and lifestyle to continue living independently.

Routine vision checks are important to identify potential problems. Sometimes specialist input is required to investigate and treat eye diseases or traumatic injuries. Patients undergoing ophthalmic surgery, such as cataract surgery and laser eye surgery, expect high standards of care from medical professionals. Similarly, errors in treatment or delays in diagnosing and managing serious conditions like wet age-related macular degeneration (wet-AMD), retinal detachment and giant cell arteritis (GCA) can cause irreversible vision loss. Prompt referrals and appropriate treatment are essential to prevent permanent harm.

Most ophthalmic professionals deliver appropriate care, but when problems arise, you have a right to claim compensation. We can help you make an eye surgery compensation claim against GPs, opticians, hospitals and private surgeons, arising from incorrect treatment, delayed diagnosis of eye disease or failure to treat these conditions properly.

Laser eye surgery is increasingly popular to correct vision without needing glasses or contact lenses. We commonly address consent issues related to laser eye surgery claims, particularly if potential risks and complications were inadequately explained. Patients unsuitable for laser eye surgery must be informed clearly. If informed consent is not properly obtained and damage results, there may be a legitimate basis for a laser eye surgery compensation claim.

I cannot speak highly enough of the level of expertise shown by the team at Penningtons.

The impact of serious vision loss due to medical negligence can profoundly affect a person’s independence, employment, income and lifestyle. Injuries can lead to substantial lifelong costs for care, equipment and home adaptations. Our specialist solicitors have the expertise to handle a full range of ophthalmic negligence claims, aiming to secure maximum eye surgery compensation while minimising legal costs.

If you have experienced negligent eye surgery or ophthalmic care, contact our medical negligence team to arrange an initial consultation without charge. Our specialist solicitors are here to advise you on how much compensation you could receive, and support you through the medical negligence claims process.

How we help our clients

Cases involving negligently performed cataract surgery with incorrect lens strength

Delayed diagnosis of wet age related macular degeneration (wet-AMD)

Claims regarding failure to diagnose optic nerve tumours

Delayed diagnosis and management of giant cell arteritis (GCA)

Failure to appropriately manage glaucoma

Incorrect advice relating to LASIK/LASEK laser eye surgery

Delayed diagnosis or treatment of retained foreign objects causing infection

Failure to diagnose and treat retinal detachment

Incorrect management of diabetic eye conditions

Claims for failure to remove viscoelastic substances following eye surgery

Delays or failures in appropriate post-treatment follow-up and management

Useful resources

Making a medical negligence claim

Funding a medical negligence claim

Bringing a claim for damage to eyesight fact sheet

I really couldn’t have asked for anything more… absolutely first-class.

Always approachable and understanding. I really appreciated the way that they explained everything very clearly and kept me updated throughout the case.

Thoroughly well prepared, very good attention to detail, knowledgeable and sympathetic to clients as well as being determined to get the best out of the case.

Very dedicated and shows tremendous effort and skill to achieve excellent outcomes.

Very professional, knowledgeable, caring, sympathetic and patient.

Recent work highlights

Negligently performed cataract surgery

Pursuing a claim against Frimley Park Hospital due to a surgeon’s failure to wash-out our client’s eye after cataract surgery. A build-up of pressure caused permanent injury to her optic nerve. We obtained compensation for her lost independence.

Giant cell arteritis misdiagnosis

Securing a considerable settlement for our client, who suffered permanent loss of sight from both eyes as a result of an admitted failure to suspect, diagnose and treat her giant cell arteritis.

Vision loss after serious hospital error

Obtaining substantial damages for a farmer who lost sight in his left eye due to a delayed diagnosis. Despite early hospital attendance, a retained object was missed and resulted in significant infection.

Post-operative retinal detachment

Settling a negligence claim for six figures on behalf of a client who suffered retinal detachment and permanent vision loss due to inadequate post-operative care by an inexperienced doctor after routine eye surgery in a private hospital.

Sight loss due to aftercare failure

Achieving compensation for a client who lost sight in his right eye when a hospital failed to organize timely and appropriate follow-up care after he had undergone surgery for retinal detachment.

Undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy

Representing a client with diabetes who had been attending his GP with early evidence of diabetic retinopathy which went undiagnosed. Following this, he suffered permanent loss of vision in his left eye.

Case studies

We have obtained significant compensation for our client in her negligence claim against Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust after surgery to remove a cataract from her left eye.

We have recently secured damages of £2.5 million in a claim for negligence against a private consultant ophthalmic surgeon, relating to laser eye surgery performed on our client at Optegra, an eye clinic in Guildford, Surrey.

We have secured a considerable financial settlement for our elderly client who suffered permanent loss of sight from both eyes as a result of admitted negligence at the Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre.

We have obtained compensation for a client who pursued a claim against Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust relating to a delay in diagnosis and treatment of his wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD).

We have achieved significant compensation for our client who underwent privately performed eye surgery at the Shelburne Hospital and suffered a retinal detachment and complete loss of functional vision from her dominant left eye.