Blackwater Law medical negligence solicitors successfully represented Mrs Lockey in her claim against University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust.
Posted on 27th November 2025
Following a Freedom of Information request by medical negligence solicitors Blackwater Law, new data has revealed a sharp rise in blindness-related compensation claims against NHS Trusts, with payouts already exceeding £30.5 million in 2024/25 alone.
This figure marks a significant increase on previous years, where the annual average was around £25 million, highlighting ongoing concerns around avoidable vision loss linked to diagnostic delays and ophthalmology errors.
Diagnostic delays leading to permanent sight loss
Between 2019 and 2024, a total of 347 blindness-related claims were made across NHS Trusts in England, resulting in payouts of over £126 million, according to official NHS Resolution data.
Whilst the individual reason for each claim isn’t know, these cases often involve serious and irreversible injuries caused by delays or failures to detect or treat conditions such as metastatic cancer, brain tumours, tumours inside or around the eye, glaucoma, retinal detachment, retinal diseases, Giant Cell Arteritis and diabetic retinopathy in time to prevent blindness.
Common causes of blindness negligence claims include:
- Missed or delayed diagnosis of brain tumours
- Missed or delayed diagnosis of cancer
- Missed or delayed diagnosis of tumours inside or around the eye
- Missed or delayed diagnosis of Giant Cell Arteritis
- Delayed glaucoma diagnosis or treatment
- Failure to recognise retinal detachment
- Missed or delayed referrals to eye specialists
- Poor follow-up care after cataract or laser eye surgery
Early diagnosis and intervention are critical. Many of these conditions can be managed effectively if caught early, meaning that timely testing, referral, and treatment could prevent permanent sight loss in numerous cases. Giant Cell Arteritis, for example, is a medical emergency that can cause sudden and irreversible blindness if not treated promptly. It often presents with symptoms such as jaw pain, scalp tenderness, and visual disturbances, but these signs are frequently missed or misinterpreted. GCA is an inflammatory condition affecting blood vessels near the head and eyes, typically in individuals over 50.
If diagnosis is delayed or immediate steroid treatment is not initiated, the risk of permanent sight loss increases significantly. In such cases, the failure to act quickly may constitute medical negligence, particularly where earlier intervention could have prevented avoidable harm
Tumours and vision loss: a critical link often missed
Certain tumours can directly impact vision by compressing vital structures such as the optic nerve or optic chiasm, or by affecting the eye itself. These include pituitary tumours, optic nerve gliomas, meningiomas, orbital tumours, and eye melanomas.
Symptoms may range from peripheral vision loss and double vision to more subtle visual disturbances. Tumours located near the optic pathway, such as pituitary tumours and meningiomas can cause progressive vision changes if not diagnosed and treated promptly.
Similarly, orbital and intraocular tumours like eye melanoma can lead to irreversible damage if left undetected. In some cases, even nasopharyngeal tumours may contribute to vision changes. Timely imaging, such as MRI or CT scans, and specialist referrals are essential to prevent permanent sight loss in these scenarios.
A devastating, life-changing injury
Jason Brady, Partner at Blackwater Law, commented:
“Vision loss can be caused by medical negligence if the treatment provided falls below the standard of an accepted body of medical opinion. Losing vision due to medical negligence is a very serious outcome that can have a significant impact on the individual affected and their family.
These outcomes can be avoided if treatment is provided to the accepted standard. Delays or missed diagnosis that falls below this standard that causes or contributes to vision loss can be examples of medical negligence. It must be remembered that behind each statistic here represents someone whose life has been affected by vision loss which could be avoided.”
Legal rights for those affected
Patients who have suffered vision loss or blindness due to poor eye care or delayed diagnosis may be entitled to make a blindness compensation claim. Blackwater Law can help investigate whether negligent care, such as a missed eye diagnosis or delayed glaucoma treatment which led to avoidable harm.
Pursuing a claim is not only about seeking compensation but also about holding institutions accountable and helping to drive improvements in patient safety and clinical standards across ophthalmology departments.
About Blackwater Law
Blackwater Law is a specialist medical negligence law firm supporting clients nationwide in pursuing claims involving hospital negligence, diagnostic errors, and serious, life-changing injuries. The firm has extensive experience with ophthalmology negligence claims, birth injury compensation, and cancer misdiagnosis cases.
