Midland man went blind in one eye following Specsavers hospital referral mix-up

A man went blind in one eye after Specsavers faxed a referral for emergency surgery to the wrong hospital. David, who had been diagnosed with retinal detachment, has now received a six-figure settlement after the eye care specialist admitted they were negligent.

Back in 2019, David suddenly noticed dots and flashes of light across his vision and went to his local Specsavers branch in Kidderminster for an urgent appointment. He was seen by an optometrist on March 28, who told him he had a serious sight-threatening condition, which required emergency treatment.

David was advised that he'd be referred to Kidderminster Hospital for surgery. After attempting, without success, to reach the ophthalmology department by telephone, the optometrist then sent a referral letter to them by fax, requesting same-day treatment.

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However the hospital's ophthalmology department did not offer emergency treatment at weekends, and the department was closed until Monday. David had waited all weekend to hear from the hospital, as he had been told to do, but the call never came.

On April 1, David woke up blind in his right eye, and, following calls to NHS 111 and his GP, he was seen later that day by an ophthalmologist at Kidderminster Hospital. But by that point, David’s macula - part of the retina which is important for sight - was found to have become detached and he was told that, as a result, surgery was no longer urgent as the damage was permanent.

David underwent surgery to reattach the retina, but he never regained useful vision in the right eye. His vision in that eye was now limited to shadows and outlines of shapes.

He then instructed Leigh Day solicitor Rebecca Ridgeon and, following investigation of his claim, Specsavers admitted he should have been advised to attend the emergency department at Birmingham Eye Hospital on March 28, 2019. He would then have undergone urgent surgery to reattach his retina, before the macula detached.

David, who is in his late 50s, has now had to adjust to day-to-day life relying on just one eye. He finds it difficult to drive for long periods and in the dark, and ultimately had to change his job due to these difficulties. He also now struggles with any task requiring 3D vision and depth perception – including repairing watches, which used to be a hobby of his – and daily tasks such as cooking and cleaning. His eye injury has also resulted in him suffering from symptoms of anxiety and depression.

The six-figure sum from the settlement includes compensation for David's injuries, plus costs of additional care he has required from his wife and his loss of earnings due to the change in employment. He said: “Whilst no amount of compensation will ever make up for the fact that I am now blind in my right eye, I am really pleased with the result of my claim against Specsavers and am glad that I contacted Leigh Day and asked them to look into what happened to me. I have the utmost respect for Leigh Day and for the professionalism shown by Rebecca in dealing with my case.”

Rebecca Ridgeon added: “The care provided to David on March 28, 2019 – in referring him for urgent surgery at a hospital department which would not open for another 48 hours – was clearly substandard and I am pleased that Specsavers eventually accepted that this delay had a significant impact on David’s vision, making him effectively blind in one eye. It was a pleasure to represent David and to obtain a settlement which recognises the enormous impact that the negligence had on his quality of life.”

A Specsavers spokesperson said: "We are sorry to hear about the problems David is still experiencing with his eyesight. Since this incident, the Kidderminster store directors have reviewed their procedures. They have issued new guidance for colleagues about hospital referrals to try and make sure that something like this does not happen again. We wish David all the best for the future."