34 more people complain of blurred vision

Villupuram, Aug 26 (UNI) Even as 29 people were fighting to get back their vision at the Joseph Eye Hospital in Tiruchirapalli after cataract surgery, 34 more people, who also underwent the operation at the same hospital, were admitted to the Villupuram government hospital after they complained of blurred vision.

The fresh victims were from Nainarpalayam village near Chinna Salem in Villupuram district and constituted the second group of people-screened by the Perambalur-based Joseph Eye Hospital, along with Blindness Control Society of India, on July 29 for cataract surgery.

After they underwent the cataract surgery at the Perambalur hospital on August 1, the authorities sent them home, assuring that they would recover fast and regain their vision.

Following reports that those who underwent the cataract surgery after a screening in Kaduvanur village had lost their vision or were undergoing treatment to gain vision, these people, realising the danger, got admitted to Villupuram hospital.

State Health Minister M R K Panneerselvam visited them last night and assured them of all assistance.

In all, 66 people, mostly poor farm workers were screened at a camp conducted in Kaduvanur Village on July 28. They underwent the surgery in the satellite hospital at Perambalur the next day.

Eight of them were discharged a day after the surgery without any problems, while the others were sent home a few days later.

However, more than 50 people returned to the hospital with complaints of severe pain, vomiting and blurred vision.

Twenty-nine of the patients, including 14 women, were shifted to the Joseph Headquarters Hospital in Tiruchirapalli, of whom, 20 were believed to have lost the vision.

Meanwhile, the 34 people, including 22 women, who were screened at the Nainar Palayam eye camp and underwent surgery at Perambalur hospital and 12, screened at Kaduvanur camp, had been admitted to the Villupuram Hospital.

The Tamil Nadu government had announced a solatium of Rs five lakh each to those who totally lost vision of both eyes and Rs one lakh each to those who lost vision in one eye.

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