Imran Khan’s third eye procedure was completed on Monday at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), where doctors declared his vision satisfactory following a detailed examination, hospital authorities said.
The former prime minister was brought to the hospital with his consent, where he received a third anti-VEGF injection as part of his ongoing treatment for a serious eye condition. The procedure was carried out in an operating theatre under strict medical protocols and precautionary measures.
A medical board assessed his condition after the procedure and expressed satisfaction with his eyesight. Officials confirmed that Khan remained stable throughout and was discharged shortly after the treatment.
Monday’s procedure marks the latest phase in the PTI founder’s eye care. He was previously shifted to PIMS from Adiala jail on February 24, when he received the second dose following a comprehensive examination. At that time, cardiology tests, including echocardiography and electrocardiogram, showed normal results, and he was declared medically stable.
On March 18, his medical check-up was completed by a newly formed board comprising five doctors and staffers at Adiala jail, following instructions from the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Read: IHC Orders Medical Board For Imran Khan, Rejects Private Hospital Transfer
Earlier this month, the IHC directed the capital city’s chief commissioner to constitute a medical board to assess Khan’s health condition, while rejecting a petition seeking his transfer to a private hospital.
Diagnosis: Central Retinal Vein Occlusion
The jailed PTI founder was diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), a serious eye condition, according to a report submitted to the Supreme Court by his lawyer and the court’s amicus curiae, Salman Safdar.
CRVO occurs when the main vein draining blood from the retina becomes blocked. It is often associated with cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease.
The Supreme Court report also revealed that Khan has complained of losing 85 per cent of the vision in his right eye.
Sources said the medical team examining Khan comprised five doctors and supporting medical staff, completing a thorough two-hour assessment during which they examined the affected eye. The team includes ENT specialist Professor Altaf Hussain, cardiologist Professor Akhtar Ali Bandesha, Dr Muhammad Ali Arif, and Professor Nadeem Qureshi from Al-Shifa Eye Hospital.
Khan, 73, has been jailed since August 2023 after convictions he and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), call politically motivated. Since his 2022 ouster in a no-confidence vote, he has faced multiple cases. Some convictions have been suspended or overturned, with appeals pending. He denies all wrongdoing.
His health has emerged as a point of contention between the government and the opposition, with ongoing legal proceedings addressing the adequacy of medical care provided to the former premier while in custody.
