Srinagar: Srinagar acid attack victim will be flown to a Super Specialty Eye Hospital in Chennai for advanced procedures that are being explored to help her regain vision in both her eyes that suffered deep burns earlier last week.
After preliminary treatment at SMHS Hospital, the doctors treating her have decided that the acid attack victim will require specialised procedures that are available at Sankara Nethralaya Chennai, one of the premier facilities for eye treatments in India.
Dr Kanwaljeet Singh, Medical Superintendent of the Hospital said the patient had a decreased Ocular Pressure (pressure in the eye balls) and it was not improving.
He said the corneas of both eyes were severely damaged and the Sankara Netralaya had advanced facilities for eye treatments. “The possibility of using Stem Cells in restoring the tenacity in her corneas and restoring ocular pressure will be explored,” he said.
He said Dr Geeta Iyer, a Cornea Specialist will be in-charge of her treatment plan. The Hospital will also start treatment in her face soon, he added.
A senior doctor told Greater Kashmir that the Chennai Hospital has an advanced Stem Cell Unit and eye surface reconstruction using Stem Cells are being undertaken at this hospital.
“There is no sure shot treatment for her condition but Stem Cells could prove promising in reconstructing membranes that she has lost due to the Chemical injury,” he said.
Dr Singh said the victim’s family has been allocated a government guest house in Chennai and an IAS officer has been assigned the charge of facilitating the treatment and stay in Chennai.
“The travel, treatment, boarding and lodging will be completely covered by the Government as per the communication we have received,” he said. The victim, he said, will be accompanied by a few family members.
The doctors treating her at SMHS Hospital have told Greater Kashmir that the victim’s both eyes had ‘burnt deep due to acid’ and that her skin also had deep burns that could worsen with time. After an initial membrane transplant procedure at SMHS Hospital, the patient had ‘just the perception of light’ in her eyes.