Twitter
Advertisement

Bombay hospital doctors open 55-year-old's eyes

After 20 years of being unable to keep her eyes open due to a neurological movement disorder, 55-year-old South Mumbai resident Preeti Patil (name changed) is finally able to see the light of the day.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

After 20 years of being unable to keep her eyes open due to a neurological movement disorder, 55-year-old South Mumbai resident Preeti Patil (name changed) is finally able to see the light of the day.

Suffering from a condition called benign essential blepharospasm, she couldn't keep her eyes open owing to recurrent spasms in the protractor eye muscles, causing an involuntary closure of eyelids.

Patil found a cure at Bombay Hospital, with doctors successfully removing the affected muscles surgically. The procedure called Limited Upperlid Protractor Muscles Myectomies is the first to be performed in the state, says her doctor.

Dr Nagendra Shah, who performed the eye surgery on Patil, is an associate professor in ophthalmology and a consulting eye surgeon at the Taparia Institute of Ophthalmology, Bombay Hospital. "In her case, she had a severe form of the neurological disorder and was functionally blind, unable to open her eyelids due to recurrent spasms."

He added that Patil had taken numerous botox (Botulinum Toxins) injections from 2004 to August 2011, after which she approached him. "She, according to me, was the perfect candidate for the operation as she was not responding well to both, medication and the botox therapy," he said.

Shah said the surgery involved a judicious and well calculated removal of muscles responsible for eyelid closure.

"The term 'essential' (in benign essential blepharospasm) indicates that the cause is unknown, but fatigue, stress or an irritant are possible contributing factors," explained Shah.

Patil's husband said they approached numerous doctors across the country but with no positive outcome. "Most doctors failed to diagnose her condition; in Lucknow the doctors identified what it was and put her on botox injections," he said. He added that the botox gave her relief for a few months, after which they had to repeat it; she became depressed and under-confident.

Post surgery, she will be able to lead a normal life.

Speaking to dna, Patil said, "I missed many social and playful moments over the last two decades, when my children were young. Dr Shah has given me a new lease of life; now, I am going to enjoy all moments with my family and grandchildren."

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement