Chicago Eye Doctor Reprimanded After 50 Malpractice Allegations Filed

March 4, 2011

A state regulatory agency has reprimanded a Chicago ophthalmologist that has been sued for malpractice nearly 50 times banning home from performing any more Lasik vision procedures. Dr. Caro, an ophthalmologist that operates in Chicago, has been performing Lasik eye surgeries since the 1990′ and has had nearly 50 malpractice lawsuits filed against him in Illinois in the past two decades.

The state operated regulatory board, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, has permanently barred Dr. Caro from performing anymore Lasik surgeries in addition to banning him from performing any intraocular procedures in his medical office. This ban includes: cataract surgery, corneal transplantation, and refractive lens exchange or clear lens extraction.

A Chicago medical malpractice lawyer representing one of the plaintiffs in a current case against Dr. Caro expressed relief that the state agency has taken action against him. Most of the complaints against Caro involved patients that needed to seek treatment for complications arising from Lasik surgery. In 1997, the FDA prohibited Caro from using an unapproved excimer laser system for Lasik surgeries upon inspection of Caro’ practice. The laser was eventually seized after Caro purportedly continued to use it after receiving notice barring him from its use from the FDA.

This was not the first time that the agency has taken action against this Lasik doctor. There is a long list of previous disciplinary actions that have been taken against him. In 2008, the state’ chief medical prosecutor, Lisa Stephens, recommended to the agency that Dr. Caro’ license be suspended or revoked.

After performing an investigation, the Illinois agency concluded that Dr. Nicholas Caro had engaged in unprofessional conduct and gross negligence. The agency suspended his license for 30 days and also placed him on probation for the next three years in addition to prohibiting him from performing any Lasik procedures. Dr. Caro was also fined $10,000, which is the maximum amount of money that can be fined by the agency.