- Medical board suggests PTI founder OCT angiography.
- PTI chief satisfied with Imran Khan’s treatment: report.
- Dr Aasim urges further treatment at Shifa International.
The medical report of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s eye examination has revealed a marked improvement in his vision, with specialists noting reduced swelling and better clinical indicators in the right eye.
The examination was conducted on February 15 by a medical board comprising Professor Dr Nadeem Qureshi of Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital and Professor Dr Muhammad Arif Khan of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) Islamabad, read a report issued on Monday.
The report stated Imran’s vision in the right eye without glasses was recorded at 6/24 partial, while the left eye measured 6/9.
With corrective glasses, the right eye improved to 6/9 partial and the left eye to 6/6, as per the report.
The examination comes about two weeks after the former prime minister, who has been in jail since August 2023, complained of losing 85% of vision in his right eye.
He was later diagnosed with a serious eye condition known as central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), generally associated with older age and underlying cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease.
Sources had previously said that Sunday’s evaluation was initiated to meet a judicial deadline set by the Supreme Court, which required a complete medical report to be submitted by February 16 (today).
Meanwhile, the report showed the swelling had reduced in Imran’s right eye, with its thickness decreased from 550 to 350, which the report described as a sign of improvement.
The medical board recommended eye drops for both eyes, while advising the PTI founder to undergo OCT angiography and FFA tests.
According to the report, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas visited Pims on the same day, where they were briefed by the medical board that treated Imran at Adiala jail.
“During the course of briefing by experts, personal physician of Imran Khan including Dr Asim Yousaf and Dr Khurram Mirza were also briefed over phone call (more than 25 minutes) to the extent of their satisfaction,” read the report.
According to the report, the opposition leaders and Imran’s personal physicians expressed “their full satisfaction and confidence” over the treatment given so far and the follow-up advice recommended by the team of doctors.
‘Unable to confirm or deny’
Shaukat Khanum Chief Medical Officer Dr Aasim Yusuf, however, said he “could not confirm or deny the veracity” of what they were told by the medical board that examined the PTI founder.
In a video posted to the official X account of the hospital, Dr Aasim said that their conversation with the medical board lasted around 40 minutes.
According to Dr Aasim, the two Islamabad-based doctors briefed them on the treatment being administered, the tests conducted and the future course of action.
“They told us, in their view, that [Imran] Khan had shown significant improvement as a result of treatment and his vision had improved significantly as well,” he said.
However, he added that he could not independently confirm or refute the information because he “had not seen” Imran himself or participated in his care.
The physician urged the government to permit him and Dr Faisal Sultan, or doctors nominated by Imran’s family, to see the PTI founder and participate in his care.
He also called for shifting the former prime minister to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for further treatment.
