Several patients in Yerevan nearly go blind because of eye drops infected with E.Coli

15:22   9 May, 2019

Five patients in Yerevan almost went blind after using infected eye drops, which caused a dangerous infection , Zara Malayan, deputy director of the S. Malayan Ophthalmological Center, told NEWS.am Medicine.

According to preliminary tests, the eye drops were infected with E. coli, she added.

Zara Malayan noted that the infection will not have irreversible consequences for the patients: they all received the first aid and treatment, and their vision will be restored.

Earlier, the Hraparak newspaper reported about eight patients who, after using infected eye drops, nearly went blind and could hardly distinguish light from shadow. The father of one of the victims turned to the newspaper’s editorial office, expressing serious doubts that his son’s vision could recover fully after treatment.

A relative of one of the victims told 168.am that the incident occurred two days ago: the victim should have been given an injection, and operated a month later, but during the procedure they noticed that something was wrong with his eyes. An infection was found in the eye of the victim.

According to a relative, they were told that the hospital could pay half the amount. The victim's family was paid 270,000 drams. However, after the outrage from the relatives of the victims, all patients were operated on free of charge.

According to the Ministry of Health, Deputy Minister Levon Hakobyan visited the medical center and got acquainted with the situation on the spot. According to the Ministry of Health, there are six injured because of the drug.

The details of this incident are still being investigated.



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