Samet Söğütözü, who works as a private vehicle driver in Eskişehir, applied to a private hospital in Ankara in 2021 to have an ‘intraocular lens’ surgery. Söğütözü, who uses glasses due to myopia, had surgery in June 2022 after being examined every 6 months. Söğütözü, who was discharged from the private hospital on the same day, started to complain of not being able to see clearly and pain a day later. Samet Söğütözü, who was said to have possible complications after the surgery, started losing his vision 5 days after returning to his hometown Eskişehir. During the control, it was determined that Söğütözü lost his vision in his right eye and had a 90 percent loss of vision in his left eye.
LAW FIGHT STARTED
Samet Söğütözü, who filed a criminal complaint against the private hospital in Ankara and the doctor who performed the operation, started a legal battle. Stating that he used glasses due to myopia in his eyes and wanted to get rid of them with surgery, Söğütözü said, “I was using glasses and I had no problem with glasses when I went on the road. I tried wearing lenses a few times, but it did not work. We were meeting with my doctor at a private hospital in Ankara, and he recommended me an intraocular lens. Bus And I’m using a minibus, going on a long journey. My doctor said to me, ‘There is no risk, it’s 1 in 10 million, you’ll be fine in 3 days, you’ll be back to work on the 5th day.’ I also had surgery on my eye and they discharged me in a very short time. There was a great pain in my eyes until the morning. When I went to check it the next morning, he said it was fine, and when I woke up 5 days later, I noticed that my eyes were completely cloudy. I couldn’t walk without a companion. I went to Ankara with my uncle. We explained the situation to our doctor and he said, “This is the first time this has happened to me.” “On the 5th day, my eyes did not see anything,” he said.
‘I CAN’T EVEN LEAVE THE HOUSE’
Explaining that he could no longer do the job he loved so much and that his freedom was taken away from him, Söğütözü said, “I have not been able to drive or do anything for 2.5 years. I guess the surgery was not successful. For this reason, I sued the doctor and the hospital. I have lost my eyes, if they gave me 100 trillion from now on.” What is the use of my eyes after they are gone? I was traveling to 81 provinces, I was a free person and I was fine with my glasses. There was no need to deceive me by saying ‘You will be driving on the 5th day’. My right eye has no vision at all, there is only light and no detail, and my left eye can see 10-15 percent of the time while doing this job. “I loved taking people around and doing my job with pleasure. Now, with my eyes looking like this, I can’t even go out of the house without a companion,” he said.
THE BOARD DID NOT GIVE PERMISSION FOR INVESTIGATION
While an investigation was launched by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office following Samet Söğütözü’s application, the Professional Responsibility Board of the Ministry of Health, the doctor who performed the operation, Prof. Dr. N.C. An expert report was obtained about him. The report concluded that the condition that developed after the surgery (vision loss) was a surgical complication and that it was not related to the surgery on both eyes in the same session, and it was determined that ‘the surgery subject to the complaint was in accordance with the rules of medicine’. Board, Prof. Dr. N.C. An investigation was not permitted, stating that there was no negligence or fault in his diagnosis, examination, follow-up and treatment. Following the board’s decision, Samet Söğütözü, through his lawyer, appealed to the Ankara Regional Administrative Court for permission to investigate the doctor.
‘THERE WAS AN INTENSE REACTION IN BOTH EYES’
Prof., whose defense was taken by the Professional Responsibility Board of the Ministry of Health. Dr. N.Ç. stated that unexpected problems arose from the first day after the surgery and said, “There was an intense reaction in both eyes. A very intense treatment process began to treat the patient. When there was no medication left for me to reduce the patient’s intraocular pressure, I used glycerin, which can be used orally, from time to time. All “As the corneal edema in the patient’s right eye continued despite the treatments, I referred the patient to the university hospital associate professor, who is very experienced in this field, to be evaluated for endothelial transplantation to the right eye,” he said.
HE ALSO FILED A CASE TO THE CONSUMER COURT
Samet Söğütözü also stated that Prof. Dr. Samet Söğütözü also performed the surgery. Dr. N.C. He filed a compensation lawsuit against him at Eskişehir Consumer Court. At the first hearing, the court decided to ask the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office whether any report or ATK report was received regarding the file, whether an investigation permission was given, whether an application was made to the administrative court by the plaintiff party to not grant an investigation permission, and postponed the hearing until April. (DHA)