A man was left blind in one eye after Specsavers failed to refer him for emergency surgery that could have saved his sight, according to legal reports.
He has now received a six-figure payout for the mistake, after the Hight Street chain admitted it was guilty.
Before the disaster struck, the man in his 50s, referred to only as David, only needed to wear glasses to read and watch television.
But at the end of March 2019, he noticed spots and flashes of light in his vision and booked an urgent appointment at Specsavers on Saturday 28 March 2019.
The optometrist examined him and diagnosed retinal detachment, when The layer of light-sensitive cells at the back of the eye becomes loose.
David was told he needed emergency surgery, but was made to wait until Monday, when the damage to his eye was permanent and he became blind.
David, whose name has been changed, became blind in his right eye while waiting days for surgery that should have been performed urgently (file image)
Specsavers admitted David should have been advised to attend Birmingham Eye Hospital’s emergency department on March 28, 2019 (file image)
It emerged that the optometrist attempted to contact Kidderminster Hospital’s ophthalmology department by phone to request surgery on the same day.
When this was unsuccessful, they decided to fax the urgent referral and told David to wait at home for a call from the hospital.
However, Kidderminster Hospital’s ophthalmology department did not offer emergency treatment over the weekend.
Unaware of the mistake, David waited as he had been told, but did not receive a call.
On the morning of Monday, April 1, David woke up blind in his right eye. After calling NHS 111 and his GP, he was seen by a surgeon at Kidderminster Hospital that same day.
But by now the damage to his vision was permanent.
He then underwent surgery to reattach the retina, but never regained vision in his right eye.
Instead, you can only see shadows and outlines of shapes.
David instructed Leigh Day’s solicitor, Rebecca Ridgeon, and following investigation of his claim, Specsavers admitted that David should have been advised to attend the Birmingham Eye Hospital A&E department on 28 March 2019.
If she had undergone urgent surgery to reattach her retina that day, before the macula detached, she may have retained normal vision in both eyes.
But due to his vision loss, David has now had to adapt to everyday life relying on just one eye.
He still has difficulty driving for long periods or in the dark, which has forced him to change jobs.
David also has difficulty with any task that requires 3D vision and depth perception, including repairing watches, which used to be his hobby, and daily tasks like cooking and cleaning.
His eye injury has also caused symptoms of anxiety and depression.
His six-figure settlement includes compensation for his injuries, as well as the additional care he has required from his wife and loss of income due to changing jobs.
“Although no compensation will ever make up for the fact that I am now blind in my right eye, I am very pleased with the outcome of my claim against Specsavers,” David said.
Solicitor Rebecca Ridgeon said: “The care given to David, by referring him for urgent surgery in a hospital department that would not open for 48 hours, was clearly substandard.
“I am pleased that Specsavers has finally accepted that this delay had a significant impact on David’s vision, leaving him virtually blind in one eye.”
A Specsavers spokesperson said: “We are sorry for the problems David continues to experience with his sight.
‘Since this incident, Kidderminster store managers have reviewed their procedures.
‘They have published new guidance to colleagues on hospital referrals to try to ensure that something like this does not happen again.
“We wish David all the best for the future.”