One kind of surgery that is becoming more common is eye surgery. With the invention of Lasik and other alternative laser surgeries, more people are choosing to have their vision corrected in this manner. Errors made during an eye surgery can leave a person blind, though, so it’s vital that surgeons and their staff members are focused and well-versed in the treatments they offer.
Most eye surgery errors are preventable, fortunately. A study from 2007 showed that eye surgery-related injuries were rare, happening at a rate of around 69 errors per million. That number has improved over time as the surgeries have become more precise and commonplace.
Many errors can be avoided by verifying a patient’s identity before surgery. This helps avoid placing the wrong lens in the eye or performing the wrong surgery for the eye. Common errors in eye surgeries include operating on the wrong eye, injecting the wrong eye with anesthesia, operating on the wrong patient or transplanting the wrong tissues.
There are a few things you can do to help prevent these issues from taking place if you’re having eye surgery. First, make sure all documents have your correct name and identifying information. Clarify the eye you have to have surgery on. Speak up if you notice the doctor working on the wrong eye or starting to mark the wrong part of your body. It’s up to you to say something if there is something you don’t understand or that doesn’t seem right during surgery. By speaking out, you may be able to prevent a serious error.
Source: WebMD, “Eye Surgery Errors Avoidable,” Jennifer Warner, accessed Oct. 11, 2017