The Executive Director of Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Dr. Rana Imran Sikandar, on Friday confirmed incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan underwent a medical procedure on his right eye last week to reduce pressure impacting his eyesight.
In a video statement, Dr. Sikandar said increased pressure in the vessels of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder’s right eye had temporarily affected his eyesight. He said Khan had earlier complained of reduced eyesight in his right eye, prompting a detailed medical assessment at Adiala Jail. The attending physician, he continued, had then recommended further evaluation at the hospital.
The former premier, explained the doctor, underwent a series of diagnostic tests, including a slit-lamp examination, fundoscopy, measurement of internal eye pressure and an optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan of the retina. Assessment of the tests concluded that Khan was suffering from central retinal vein occlusion, a condition caused by pressure affecting blood flow in the retina. The medical team advised immediate treatment under specialist supervision, said Dr. Sikandar.
Acting on medical advice, Khan was transferred to PIMS on the night between Jan. 24/25 for the recommended procedure. According to Dr. Sikandar, the former prime minister was fully briefed about his condition and the proposed treatment, and written consent was obtained prior to the procedure.
The senior physician explained the procedure was performed in a sterile operating theater under close monitoring and was completed successfully in about 20 minutes. Throughout the treatment, the patient’s vital signs remained stable, he said, adding Khan was subsequently discharged with medical instructions, follow-up advice and necessary documentation for continued care.
Reports of Khan suffering from an eye ailment emerged earlier this week, with government ministers initially denying the news before Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed it to Geo News. Since the news broke, the PTI has repeatedly demanded access to Khan to confirm he is in good health. On Thursday, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi staged a sit-in near Adiala Jail until around 2:30 a.m. on Friday, demanding Khan’s personal physician be permitted to meet him. When his entreaties did not result in any progress, the party staged a brief sit-in outside the Supreme Court, seeking judicial intervention for a meeting with Khan.
After the sit-in—which concluded with a meeting between PTI leaders and Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi—PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said Khan’s family would be provided the medical report.