UAE: Doctor saves expat's vision after sharp metal hits him in the eye

An ophthalmologist saved the vision of a Pakistani expat by removing a 4x4 mm sharp metallic object from his left eye.

Anwar Hussain, 37, is a storekeeper working in Sharjah. He suffered critical injuries to his eye while fixing a machine at his home. “I was trying to fix a faulty drilling machine sitting on my bed at around 9 pm. I felt something sprung up and hit my left eye. It was excruciatingly painful. Blood was oozing out,” said Hussain.

Seeing blood dripping from Hussain’s eye, his panicked roommates rushed him to Aster Hospital, Qusais, for treatment. He was taken to the emergency department of the hospital.

The critical care team at the hospital consulted Dr Boopathy Murugavel, specialist ophthalmology at Aster Hospital, Qusais.

“Hussain was in severe pain when he reported to us. He told me that he was hit by a metallic substance in the eye while fixing a machine. His eye was filled with blood. We performed an X-ray and ultrasound, and the reports revealed the presence of a triangular object in the eye,” said Dr Murugavel.

The removal of the metallic object was a challenge. According to the doctor, the foreign body had not touched his retina. “A minute scar or injury to the centre part of the retina might result in complete loss of vision. Also, metallic objects in the eyes undergo a chemical reaction and can lead to irreversible vision loss,” he explained.

“The ultrasound scan report showed that the object was around 4x4 mm in size. It was sharp at all ends. There was a risk that it would fall back in the eyes while removing it. But the procedure was a success, and the foreign body was removed without any complication,” added Dr Murugavel.

Hussian is doing well after the surgery. “I feel like nothing had gone inside my eyes. I got scared to learn that a metallic object was inside. I was worried about my vision. A lot of thoughts ran through my head at that time. But now, I am relieved. (My) thanks to Dr Murugavel and the medical team at Aster Hospital, Qusais, for their support and care,” said Hussain.

He was discharged from the hospital two days post the surgery. A follow-up after a week found him doing well and with no issues affecting his vision.

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