The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) has increased the compensation for a girl who became completely blind due to a misdiagnosis by an ophthalmologist when she was just six years old. The decision follows an appeal filed by the doctor challenging an earlier order from the District Consumer Commission in Kollam, which had awarded Rs. 10 lakh in compensation and Rs. 50,000 as litigation costs.
The case dates back to March 2003, when the child, a first-grade student, was taken to a hospital in Kollam after her parents noticed a squint in her left eye. The ophthalmologist conducted basic examinations, including fundoscopy and refraction, and diagnosed the condition as squint. The child was prescribed occlusion therapy, covering the right eye for four hours daily, and was asked to return for a follow-up six months later. At the review in September 2003, the doctor…
