Corneal perforation

Failure to diagnose corneal perforation. Our client experienced a work injury as a result of a wire hitting his eye. He was examined by an emergency room physician who diagnosed a corneal abrasion, and prescribed a topical antibiotic.

Our client continued to experience pain, tearing, and production of pus in his eye, and returned to the emergency department the following morning. A different physician diagnosed a perforation of the cornea, through the lens, and he was transferred to a different institution for emergency surgery. The surgery was too late to save the sight in his eye, and he was left blind in that eye.

Our expert concluded that the emergency department physician failed to conduct an appropriate examination and diagnostic tests, which would have revealed the perforation upon initial admission and resulted in intravenous antibiotic therapy and surgery that would have saved our client’s eyesight.