Cork woman sues medics and SouthDoc over alleged delay in eye diagnosis

A 49-year-old woman who claimed she is left with distorted vision in one eye after an alleged delay in the diagnosis of a retinal detachment has sued in the High Court.

Lisa Hayes, a mother of three from Togher, Cork, claimed she now has difficulty doing a variety of household work, doesn’t drive, and when out shopping, she says she finds it hard to identify prices and products.

Ms Hayes has sued the out-of-hours Cork city doctor service SouthDoc Services Ltd with registered offices at High St, Killarney, Co Kerry, and two GPs, over the care received, four years ago.

The doctors are Mehboob Kukaswadia of St Mary’s Health Campus on Baker Rd, Gurranabraher, Cork city, who was on duty with SouthDoc, and family GP Brendan O’Regan of Donnybrook in Douglas.

The woman’s counsel John White SC, with Cian O’Mahony BL, instructed by Denis O’Sullivan solicitor, told the court it was their case that there was an alleged delay in the diagnosis of a retinal detachment in the left eye, and this allegedly resulted in a delay in surgical intervention. All of the claims are denied.

It is claimed that on May 5, 2022, Ms Hayes woke up with symptoms including left eye and lip drooping, severe left-sided headache, and eye and throat swelling on the left side. 

SHADOW

There was also a small shadow in her left eye but this had a negligible effect on her vision at that time.

She phoned the surgery of her family GP, Dr Brendan O’Regan, and was told her call would be returned later but, it is claimed, that there was no call and at 7.30pm she phoned SouthDoc.

At 9pm, it is claimed, Dr Kukaswadia phoned her and advised her she should come into SouthDoc immediately. Counsel told the court that at the consultation she was told she did not have Bell’s palsy and was not suffering a stroke.

By May 7, the vision in her left eye had seriously deteriorated and her optician referred her to CUH. At that stage, counsel said, she could only see hand movements. In hospital it was found that Ms Hayes had a horseshoe tear in her left eye with detachment. She had surgery the next day.

Counsel said surgery should have taken place on May 5 when Ms Hayes presented to doctors with her symptoms. He said Dr O’Regan did apologise to Ms Hayes. He said the doctor put his hand on Ms Hayes’ shoulder and said: “I hope that we don’t fall out over this. Your next three visits are free.”

The case before Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds is expected to last three weeks.