These Eyedrops Are Making People Go Blind in Pakistan

The government and the management of Al Shifa Trust Eye Hospital have launched an investigation after several patients lost their eyesight after operations.

So far, 80 such cases have been reported where patients lost their sight after eye drops were administered to them following glaucoma operations.

The management of Al Shifa Trust says that they are investigating the reasons, admitting that the condition of at least nine patients deteriorated after the use of eye drops.


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Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, which is vital for a clear vision. Al Shifa Trust is one of the leading and most advanced hospitals in the country providing eye care services. However, a series of disturbing incidents in the past couple of weeks has jeopardized its repute.

Manzoor Ahmed Kiani, a 53-year-old police official from Bagh, Azad Kashmir, told a newspaper that he got operated for Glaucoma on Jan 8.

After the operation, eye drops were administered to me. I don’t know what was wrong with the eye drops because I had a severe infection and lost my eyesight. The same thing happened to the patient next to my bed.

Manzoor said that he is the breadwinner for a family of eight, including six children, and the incident has created a lot of difficulties for him. He is also worried about his children’s future.

I used to be a traffic sergeant, but now I may not be able to join my office again. I didn’t see that coming, and now we have no clue about what we will do.

Former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also spoke against the incident as a woman of his constituency was among the victims.

The media coordinator of Al Shifa Trust, Mirza Riaz Baig, says that the allegation of 80 people losing their eyesight because of Al Shifa Trust is not entirely correct.


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He said that the management is currently examining the reasons and will share their findings with the media.

He maintained that the Trust provides free treatment to 70 percent of its patients, while only 10 percent of the patients pay full expenses because they refuse free treatment.

We have been serving the people, so no one should doubt our intentions. The eye drops were imported, and we never had a complaint like this in the past.

Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan’s (DRAP) Chief Executive Officer Dr. Asim Rauf, said that they are also starting an investigation.

I am directing the Pharmacy Service Division to look into the matter and submit a detailed report regarding the incident.

Dr. Rauf admitted that he has never experienced any such cases in the past.


  • Should have shared the name of the eyedrop to spread the complete information among the readers and so that they also avoid using those eyedrops

  • Pro Pakistani Reporting is going down the drain. What is the point of publishing articles when the main component – in this case the name of the Eye Drop is missing?. This just seems to be publishing for the sake of publishing and not providing any value to the readers of this blog.

  • Please do not be part of crime that Al Shifa Trust Hospital has done.

    This hospital has a history of such incidents, they infected patients with virus in past and people lost their eye sight. In past they accepted their fault that due to poor operation conditions virus spread and patients lost their eye sight but this time they are putting it on eye drops. Smart move.

    I know one such person who lost his eyesight right after two days of operation. Hospital tried to stop the virus injecting in the back of cornea of eye but it was too late.


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