A young girl, now eight years old, needed urgent medical attention after a doctor mistakenly glued her eyelids shut at Crumlin Hospital in Dublin. The distressing incident involved excessive use of glue, resulting in her eyes being sealed shut. The family of Saoirse Feeney received a €15,000 (£12,000) settlement from Children’s Health Ireland following a lawsuit over the August 2022 mishap.
The court heard that Saoirse’s mother, a pediatric nurse, took her to the emergency room after she sustained a head injury at home. Doctors at the hospital decided to glue a cut above her eye, but the procedure went awry with an overflow of glue causing the adhesive to enter Saoirse’s eye. This led to her left eye being glued shut, raising concerns about potential long-term effects on her eyesight.
Temple Street Children’s Hospital had to separate Saoirse’s eyelids using irrigation treatment, which required multiple rounds with a significant amount of fluid to dissolve the glue. The process was described as highly distressing. Saoirse was left with glue residue on her eyebrows, and some of her lower eyelashes fell out due to the glue and treatment. Additionally, some lashes turned inward, causing discomfort, and she needed antibiotic eye drops for six weeks.
Upon returning to school, Saoirse displayed self-consciousness, though she could not recall her hospital experience when asked by the judge. The family proceeded to sue Children’s Health Ireland, and the court approved the €15,000 settlement, considering it as appropriate compensation for the temporary eye injury. The judge noted Saoirse’s fortunate outcome without any permanent eye damage.
The incident serves as a cautionary tale highlighting the importance of meticulous medical procedures to prevent such unfortunate mishaps in the future.
