Govt Doctor suspended for negligence after injecting patient's wrong eye

Written by Medical Dialogues Team Published On 2025-06-05T16:15:07+05:30 | Updated On 5 Jun 2025 4:15 PM IST

Medical Lapse at Thiruvananthapuram Eye Hospital

Thiruvananthapuram: In a shocking case of alleged medical negligence, a senior ophthalmologist at the Government Eye Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram has been suspended for administering an injection to the wrong eye of a patient. The suspension of the Assistant Professor was confirmed by the office of the Director of Medical Education (DME) and comes amid an ongoing investigation into the incident.

The patient, Assor Beevi, a resident of Beemapally, had been undergoing treatment for vision problems linked to high blood pressure. She was supposed to receive an injection in her left eye to address a vein swelling. However, during the procedure, the injection was mistakenly administered in her right eye.

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According to news reports, Majeed, Asoor’s son, stated that she had been receiving treatment at the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology within the government eye hospital for over a month. He further explained that the doctor had prescribed an eye injection and directed him to obtain the medicine from a private source, as it was unavailable at nearby medical stores.

Majeed also said the error was shocking, especially since the family had to spend ₹6,000 to procure the injection as directed by the doctor.

The mistake occurred in the operation theatre, where, although Beevi’s left eye was prepped and cleaned, the injection was instead administered to her right eye. The error came to light after the procedure, when family members noticed the discrepancy upon her return to the ward.

In response to the allegations, the doctor justified his action by stating that the right eye “appeared red,” which he took as an indication for treatment. However, this rationale was not accepted by the Head of the Ophthalmology Department.

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According to Onmanorama, "The injection was intended for a swelling in the vein of the left eye. I asked the doctor who administered it, and he explained that he injected the right eye as it appeared red. Although the patient is unlikely to suffer any adverse effects from the injection, it was clearly a mistake. After confirming the error, I sent an official report to the principal and the Director of Medical Education,” said Dr Sheeba C.S., Head of the Ophthalmology Department at the Government Eye Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram.

eye hospitalgovernment hospitalmedical negilencedoctor suspendedopthamologistdirector of medical education

Medical Dialogues Team