Woman visits public hospital 59 times after private eye surgery

A Danish woman has made 59 visits to Aalborg University Hospital since 2016 due to complications from a private lens replacement surgery, according to a DR P1 Morgen report.

Bodil Sørensen, 65, paid 50,000 kroner for the procedure to correct presbyopia but now suffers from chronic dry, irritated eyes, forcing her to wear protective glasses almost constantly. She can no longer read books, do handiwork, or use a computer for extended periods.

Sørensen underwent 19 follow-up checks with the private clinic Memira, which performed the surgery, but the company stopped providing care in 2020, stating they could no longer help her. She now relies on the public health system for treatment.

“I paid for a service, so I think they should do it properly and help me. I don’t think this is right,” Sørensen told DR.

Memira, which describes itself as a leading Scandinavian eye care provider, did not respond to DR’s requests for comment.

Marijke Vittrup, director of the Danish Eye Association, said the organization has received an unprecedented number of complaints from patients who experienced complications after refractive lens exchange (RLE) surgeries. She noted that private clinics often fail to provide sufficient support when issues arise, shifting the burden to public hospitals.

Chef physicians at Aarhus University Hospital and Rigshospitalet confirmed a rising trend of public hospitals treating complications from private eye surgeries. Mette Sloth Nielsen of Aarhus University Hospital called it “strange” that procedures not covered by public health insurance end up being managed by the public system.

Rune Salling Holmbjørn of Rigshospitalet said the issue now occupies his department weekly, requiring their most experienced surgeons and creating bottlenecks in the system.

Lens replacement surgery, or RLE, involves removing the eye’s natural lens and replacing it with an artificial one to correct vision. The procedure carries higher risks and is typically performed on patients for whom laser treatment is not suitable.