Chester Hill cancer survivor Cathy Frisina ‘nightmare’ botched eye surgery

WHEN Cathy Frisina found out her cancer was in remission, she thought she would be able to return to work and get on with life. But her dream was shattered after routine surgery to fix cataracts.

Chester Hill’s Cathy Frisina says her life has been turned upside down after an eye surgeon botched her procedure. Photo: Melvyn Knipe.

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WHEN Cathy Frisina found out her cancer was in remission, she thought she would be able to return to work and get on with life.

But that dream was shattered when routine surgery to fix cataracts in her eyes, a complication from the chemotherapy, went horribly wrong.

Ms Frisina, from Chester Hill, was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma last year and went through a lengthy round of treatment in hospital. In May she was told the treatment had worked and was declared cancer free.

On a high, the 55-year-old paid a Sydney eye surgeon $5000 to have her right eye fixed.

“Straight after the surgery I was in excruciating pain … (the surgeon) said ‘I may have cut your cornea, I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to give you these drops to settle it’,” she said.

Ms Frisina paid thousands of dollars to have her right eye fixed but now faces losing it post surgery.

When prescription eye drops did not work, she was forced to return for laser eye surgery, but claims the doctor only made things worse.

The surgery left her with a dislodged optic lens in her right eye, painful burns to her eyelid and she was told she had glaucoma — a disease which can lead to permanent vision loss.

The nightmare didn’t end there. A team of specialists then told Ms Frisina she could lose the eye if corrective surgery was performed.

“It’s not fair. I beat cancer and I’m in early remission to end up like this,” she said.

“This has destroyed my hopes.”

Ms Frisina, 55, at her home in Chester Hill. Photo: Melvyn Knipe.

Ms Frisina said her poor vision meant she was unable to return to work in hospitality and was too scared to drive further than the local shops. She is using the experience as a cautionary tale for others seeking eye surgery.

“This surgeon came highly recommended to me, but still make 100 per cent sure,” she said. “Go to two or three surgeons, make sure they know what they’re doing, make sure if you’ve got a stigmatism or anything make sure that doctor knows you have a stigmatism and it could be a problem. And make sure you get your surgeon to tell you if there could be complications, not tell you the day after.”

Ms Frisina said she would lodge a complaint with the Health Care Complaints Commission.