We are aware of how the LVPEI Eye Care Pyramid makes available the most complex care to patients in the remotest corners by referring them to the secondary/tertiary or Centre of Excellence. This incident below reflects the dedication and steadfastness of the team at the Kode Venkatadri Chowdary Campus in Vijayawada who used the network to ascertain that the patient had successful surgery outcomes, when he did not turn up for the post-operative follow up.
Penugonda Durga Rao a 42-year-old from Penuganchiprolu village in NTR district came to the Kode Venkatadri campus at Vijayawada for decreased vision following a motorcycle accident. On examination he had large angle extropia of 60-prism diopter with elevation and depression of -3, and adduction of -1/2. Along with right-eye ptosis he was diagnosed with TRON & traumatic third nerve palsy. He had no history of diabetes or hypertension.
He underwent a LR 'Y' split and transposition to MR, along with MR resection of 5mm. The surgery was uneventful, and he was doing well on day one post operation. However, he did not attend his scheduled six-week follow-up appointment.
The doctor who operated on him, Dr Krishna Priya, was restive to find out the outcome of the surgery. She tracked down the patient with help of Chandrakala, the vision technician from the Penuganchiprolu vision center (the patient's village). Chandrakala, after enquiring in the village realized that Durga Rao and his wife moved to his in-law's village Khambampadu village in Guntur district, as he had a heart attack a few weeks after his eye surgery.
Chandrakala sought help from her family to travel to Khambampadu. She travelled close to 200 kilometers to track down Durga Rao and ascertain his post-operative status. She learnt that he had a stroke after his surgery. She examined his eyes, prescribed a lubricant, and took photos of his alignment to share back with Dr Krishna Priya. Dr Krishna Priya was happy to see the photographs that confirmed that the surgery was a success!