When Eye Care Goes Wrong: Optometry and Ophthalmology Errors

Your eyes are among the most sensitive organs in your body, and even a small error in diagnosis or treatment can lead to devastating consequences, including permanent vision loss.

If you’ve suffered harm due to a misdiagnosis, surgical mistake, or negligent eye care, you may be entitled to compensation. At Morgan & Morgan, our medical malpractice attorneys are here to fight for patients whose vision was compromised by preventable errors.

What Is an Optometry or Ophthalmology Error?

Eye care errors can occur during even routine procedures, such as a vision exam, or more complex procedures like LASIK or cataract surgery. These mistakes often stem from rushed appointments, poor communication, failure to follow proper safety protocols, or lack of experience.

Some of the most common eye care errors include:

• Misdiagnosing or failing to diagnose serious eye conditions
• Complications from LASIK, PRK, or cataract procedures
• Prescribing incorrect lenses or prescriptions
• Failing to refer a patient to a specialist in time
• Improper use of eye drops, injections, or medications
• Performing unnecessary or unapproved procedures

When any of these mistakes result in pain, injury, or permanent vision loss, it’s more than just a medical setback; it’s a life-changing event.

Misdiagnosing Glaucoma and Other Serious Eye Conditions

Glaucoma is one of the most frequently misdiagnosed conditions in eye care. It often develops without early warning signs, which makes routine testing essential. When left undetected or untreated, glaucoma can cause irreversible damage to the optic nerve and permanent vision loss.

Eye pressure checks and visual field tests are critical tools for early diagnosis. But when providers skip these steps or misread the results, they miss the window to prevent serious harm.

Other eye conditions that are often misdiagnosed or overlooked include:

• Retinal tears or detachments
• Macular degeneration
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Corneal infections or ulcers

When these conditions aren’t caught in time, the consequences can be devastating. That’s why accurate testing, diagnosis, and timely treatment are non-negotiable in proper eye care.

When LASIK Surgery Goes Wrong

LASIK is often marketed as a fast and transformative fix for poor vision. And while it can be life-changing for many, it’s not without risks, especially when doctors rush evaluations or perform the procedure carelessly.

One of the most critical steps before LASIK is determining whether you’re a suitable candidate. Skipping that evaluation or ignoring red flags can lead to long-term complications that outweigh any short-term benefit. The same is true for sloppy surgical technique or poor post-op care.

Common complications from LASIK include:

• Chronic dry eyes that cause persistent pain, stinging, or burning
• Night vision issues, including halos, starbursts, or glare around lights
• Double vision or “ghosting,” where images appear layered or blurred
• Severe undercorrection or overcorrection, leading to constant visual strain
• Corneal ectasia, a progressive thinning of the cornea that may require a corneal transplant
• Permanent vision loss, in rare but devastating cases

When these complications result from a provider’s negligence, what should have been a simple improvement to your vision becomes a lasting hardship.

How Do You Prove Medical Negligence in Eye Care?

Not every medical mistake qualifies as negligence. Doctors are human, and not all poor outcomes mean someone did something wrong. But when a provider fails to meet the standard of care expected in their field, that’s when it may become a legal issue.

In eye care, the “standard of care” refers to what a reasonably competent optometrist or ophthalmologist would have done under the same circumstances. If your provider fell short of that standard and it caused you harm, you may have a case.

Common examples of negligence include:

• Failing to order diagnostic tests when symptoms were present
• Ignoring test results or warning signs
• Recommending unsafe or unnecessary surgery
• Failing to disclose the risks or alternatives to a procedure
• Using outdated tools or improper techniques

To move forward with a claim, it’s not enough to prove the provider was negligent; you must also show that their actions (or inaction) directly led to your injury, whether that’s vision loss, physical pain, or the need for additional procedures.

What Damages May Be Recovered

Vision loss affects far more than your eyesight. It can change how you work, move through the world, and engage with the people you love. A medical malpractice lawsuit allows you to pursue compensation for the real-life impact of that loss: financial, emotional, and physical.

Depending on the facts of your case, you may be able to recover damages for:

• Medical expenses, including future treatments and corrective procedures
• Lost income from time off work
• Reduced earning capacity if your career options are now limited
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Emotional distress caused by the trauma or adjustment to vision changes

If the negligence led to permanent blindness or severe impairment, your potential compensation may be significantly higher to reflect the long-term challenges you’ll face.

Contact Morgan & Morgan

Eye doctors have a responsibility to protect your vision, not jeopardize it. When that responsibility is broken, and you’re left with pain, loss, or permanent damage, you deserve answers. Whether it was a missed diagnosis or a procedure gone wrong, what happened to you wasn’t fair, and it may have been preventable.

Contact Morgan & Morgan today for a free case evaluation. Our medical malpractice team will carefully review what happened, assess whether negligence played a role, and if so, connect you with an attorney who can fight for the compensation you may be owed.