Technique change causes eye damage

Patients from the New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton, were recalled in December 2021 due to potential eye damage from intravitreal injections.

An internal and external investigation into 341 patients given intravitreal injections concluded that 103 patients suffered eye lens damage due to the consultant ophthalmologist’s change in technique.

The Root Cause Analysis (RCA) report found that the consultant ophthalmologist had changed the angle of the patient’s head due to glare on their new varifocals from overhead lighting, according to the BBC.

The report concluded the trust's processes for recruitment, induction and supervision of the practitioner were robust and all procedures were followed, according to the BBC, while the review team deemed the treatment room’s lighting as satisfactory.

Dr Brian McKaig, chief medical officer at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said he had become aware of an issue: ‘We immediately suspended the practice of the consultant whilst an internal investigation was carried out. Following this investigation, we commissioned an external review and a number of patients were recalled and found to have received sub-standard treatment.