Daily Times

SRINAGAR: Leading retina surgeon Dr S Natarajan on Friday described the situation in Indian-held Kashmir as ‘disastrous’ after performing surgeries on pellet victims at the SMHS Hospital.

“The situation is disastrous. This is for the first time that I saw pellet injuries. The eye injuries in IHK’s victims are unique and more severe than other parts of the world especially in conflict region,” he told reporters.

Natrajan conducted 46 eye surgeries since July 26 in IHK, said all pellet victims had retinal injuries. “Some of the patients will gain eyesight but I don’t want to give false hope. As a surgeon, I have passed the exam, now the outcome lies in the hands of God,” he said.

He suggested that the victims should not be shifted outside for treatment as the hospital has the best available facilities. “It is the patients’ psychology to move outside for better treatment. After six weeks we can say whether they (pellet victims) needed lens. A one-year follow-up for these patients is essential,” he added.

His team of three – including Kenshuk Marwah and Syed Asghar Hussain – was facilitated by Borderless World Foundation to visit Kashmir and said that of the 210 pellet victims, 110 needed retina and vitreous surgeries. He said that the chances of regaining eyesight of pellet victims would depend on the extent of the injury and follow-up treatment.

“Yesterday we came across a terrible case but we didn’t give up and tried our best to help him regain his vision. We have decided to come here once in a month to see the condition of these victims,” he added.