South Asia Human Rights Journalist Association

Srinagar, Oct 15, 2016 :  In on hosptial of Srinagar, as many as six persons have been completely rendered blind  and 15 patients have completely lost eye sight of one of their eyes due to the pellet injuries in both of their eyes in one hospital SMHS hospital in Srinagar  during these three months of  mass agitation in Kashmir. Dr. Tariq Qureshi head of the department of Ophthalmology, SMHS hospital Srinagar talking to media men siad that of total number of 850 pellet injured admitted in the hospital, eye sight of six of the patients could not be recovered whose eyes were grievously injured with pellets. He added that of total number of the injured, 15 patients have completely lost eye sight of one of their eyes.
“So far we have admitted almost 850 patients who were bearing pellet injuries in their eyes. Six of them have been completely blinded while almost 15 patients have one eye completely blinded,” he said.
Dr. Qureshi said that almost 55-60 patients who are following the checkup have bleak chances to recover eye sight in their one eye. “We are treating them and trying our best to restore their eye sight. But I personally think that in 50-60 patients in spite of having gone through surgery the chances of recovery of eye sight is bleak or zero,” he told  media men.
He further said that there are as many as 44 patients who have both their eyes injured. “These patients have both of their eyes affected but we have been able to protect their eyes,” he said. He said they have been successful in protecting the eye sight of many of the injured by giving them immediate primary surgery. “Pellet is a 4mm pebble and it gets scattered when fired. It touches ground and carries dust which ultimately can lead infection among the patients. It can lead to double perforation and damage the eye cornea and lens. So we formed a strategy by doing primary repairs to start their visual rehabilitation and to prevent them from infection,” he said.
Reportedly that flow of injured to the hospital has been declining in the last one month or so. source Kashmir monitor