A team of doctors examined Imran in jail. Here’s what their report says

PTI founder Imran Khan — who is suffering from an eye ailment leading to loss of vision in his right eye — was examined by a team of doctors at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on Sunday. The party had rejected the inspection conducted in the absence of his family and personal physicians, terming it “malicious”. On Monday, the law minister allayed concerns Imran’s vision loss, saying that there was “nothing as such to worry about”. Meanwhile, the doctors who examined the former premier in jail released a two-page report on Monday. According to the report, a copy of which is available with Dawn, a medical report comprising the following eye specialists examined Imran on February 15; Dr Prof Nadeem Qureshi, the vitreoretinal department at the Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital in Rawalpindi, and Dr Prof Dr M Arif, the head of the opthalmology department at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in Islamabad. The report stated that unaided, Imran’s right eye had 6/24 partial vision in the right eye and 6/9 in the left. It said that with glasses, the ex-premier’s vision was 6/9 partial in the right and 6/6 in the left. 6/6 vision means that a person can see at 6 metres what a person with normal vision can see at 6 metres. 6/9 means that a person can see at 6 metres what a person with normal vision can see at 9 metres. The doctors also conducted slit lamp examination, which, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is a common test an eye specialist will use to check overall eye health. The test showed that that “cornea was clear bilaterally” and “no cells in the anterior chamber”. The report further stated that in the right eye, the vitreous was clear with a “few fibrillar opacities seen, no cells appreciated”. “Mild intragel hemorrhage seen at 6 o’clock periphery,” it said. It further noted “disc hyperemic and vessels engorged” and “cup obliterated”. “Moderately dense retinal hemorrhages in all four quadrants. Four to five cotton wool spots seen in different quadrant,” it said. “Resolving macular edema seen. Foveal contour visible. Retina is attached,” it said. According to the Mayo Clinic, edema is swelling caused by too much fluid trapped in the body’s tissues. The macula, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is what lets a person see small details and focus on very specific aspects of what they are looking at. In comparison, according to the report, in Imran’s left eye, the macula and periphery were “clear”, “no lattice” and the retina attached. The doctors also conducted an optical coherence tomography (OCT) test, a non-invasive imaging test where light waves are used to take cross-section pictures of the retina. The test showed that in the right eye, the macula edema was “resolving and reduced”. “Central macular thickness reduced from 550 to 350 (improved),” it added. It further stated that the left eye was “within normal limits”. In the report, the doctors advised Nevanac eyedrops (twice a day for both eyes), Co-sopt eyedrops (twice a day for the right eye) and Systane ultra eyedrops (three times a day for both eyes). “Second dose of anti-VEGF may be given as per schedule. However, vision has improved from 6/36 to 6/9 partial in the involved eye which is substantially good vision at this stage,” the report said. According to the American Academy of Opthalmology, an anti-VGEF treatment reduces leaking abnormal blood vessels in the retina. This slows or stops damage from the abnormal blood vessels and slows down vision loss and may also improve vision. It further advised optical coherence tomography angiography and a fundus fluorescein angiography for the premier. According to the report, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and Opposition Leader in Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas visited Pims on Sunday for a follow-up of the Imran’s examination in Adiala jail. It said that the two doctors, Dr Qureshi and Dr Khan “briefed them in detail on current health condition” of Imran, while the board members also briefed Imran’s personal physicians, Dr Asim Yousaf and Dr Khurram Mirza, over phone call lasting more than 25 minutes “to the extent of their satisfaction”. “After detailed briefing, leaders and personal physicians expressed their full satisfaction and confidence over the treatment given so far and follow up advice recommended by team of senior doctors,” the report said.

By none@none.com (News Desk)