By Barbara Gayle, Staff ReporterA DISTRAUGHT father recounted last week how it broke his heart when ophthalmologists overseas told him that if his eight-year-old daughter, who is now visually impaired, had been referred to an ophthalmologist shortly after birth she could have had at least 90 per cent of her vision in both eyes.
Attorney-at-law Anthony Williams was on the verge of tears last week as he testified in the negligence suit he and his wife Naedia have brought against Dr. Sonia Thomas, Senior Medical Officer at the Bustamante Hospital for Children (BHC) and the Attorney-General.
Dr. Frederick Wang, a professor in paediatric ophthalmology from the Albert Einstein School of Medicine, New York, testified earlier at the hearing that once a baby's birth weight was below three pounds then the attending paediatrician or the hospital must refer the baby to an ophthalmologist to be examined as early as possible and the examination should be within four to six weeks after birth.
RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY
He said the condition which Tonika suffered from was known as retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and in medical circles throughout the world everyone knew that such children should be referred to an ophthalmologist to be seen usually four to six weeks after birth.
He said once a baby was taken off the ventilator or oxygen supply and the mother commenced breastfeeding then that was the time for the hospital to have the baby's eyes tested by an ophthalmologist. According to Dr. Wang, it would take on an average about one minute to have the eyes tested.
The defendants are contending that they are not liable for Tonika's condition.
Attorney-at-law Anthony Williams and his wife Naedia, are contending in the suit which is being heard by Mr. Justice Andrew Rattray, that Tonika, their only child, lost sight in the left eye and can only glimpse from the right eye because she had a birth rate of 1.2 kilogram, had to be given oxygen because of respiratory distress, and was not given a referral letter by the Hospital or Dr. Thomas so she could be examined by an ophthalmologist.
TRANSFERRED
They said their daughter was born on May 18, 1995 at Nuttall Memorial Hospital and was transferred to the BHC that same day.
After their daughter was discharged from the BHC on June 15, 1995, Dr. Thomas was their child's paediatrician in a private capacity.
When Tonika was six month's old in November 1995 they paid a social visit to the nurses at the BHC to show them how Tonika was progressing. It was then that the nurses pointed out to them that something was wrong with their daughter. They then went to Dr. Hazel Chung-Knight, consultant anaesthetist who was at the hospital that day and begged her for a referral letter to see an ophthalmologist. They said prior to that they got no referral letter from the hospital and Dr. Thomas did not advise them to have their daughter's eyes examined by an ophthalmologist.
The parents said after Tonika was discharged from BHC they took her to Dr. Thomas' private clinic at first three times per week then twice per week until the visits were decreased to once weekly. They said the only time the word "ophthalmologist" came up during Tonika's visits to Dr. Thomas was on January 2, 1996 when they told Dr. Thomas that they were going to see Dr. Donovan Calder the next day. The first time that Tonika was examined by an ophthalmologist was when Dr. Calder examined her on January 3, 1996.
"Dr. Calder saw the child and I was advised she was not seeing, to my utter surprise," Mr. Williams said on the verge of tears. He had to take Tonika overseas for treatment. He said on one occasion he confronted Dr. Thomas and told her it was her duty to refer Tonika to an ophthalmologist, advised them as parents to take her to one or asked them if any referral was given to them. Mr. Williams said "her response was, to my utter disgust, that Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder are great men. They were born blind but they are great men, Tonika can be great."
Mr. Williams said Dr. Thomas' comments were the worst thing a doctor could tell him at that time. He said she offered no medical basis for her response.
"I said to her it is going to be law against medicine," Mr. Williams said.
Tonika now has to visit an ophthalmologist every three months for the rest of her life. Mr. Williams said Dr. John Flynn, professor in ophthalmology at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at University School of Medicine, Miami, made the recommendation so that certain conditions such as cataract, glaucoma or further retina detachment can be detected at an early stage.
ANAESTHETIST UNIT
Dr. Chung-Knight testified that in May 1995 she was head of the anaesthetist unit at BCH and her unit would be concerned with respiratory problems. She said Tonika was put on ventilator immediately after being transferred there. She outlined the treatment given to Tonika. After Tonika improved, she said the oxygen was discontinued on June 10.
She reviewed the hospital reports for Tonika and said before the parents asked her to write the referral letter to Dr. Calder on November 30, 1995 she did not see any referral letter for Tonika to any ophthalmologist.
She admitted that when Tonika's parents asked her to write the referral letter she did ask them what happened to Tonika's paediatrician, why the paediatrician could not write the letter. Dr. Chung-Knight said ROP had five stages and was a condition that progressed slowly.
The hearing will continue in September.
