A story of how Jingdu Children's ophthalmology team rescued an 8-year-old girl from eye removal — a race against time, infection, and despair.
When an 8-year-old girl from Henan developed a severe corneal ulcer that local doctors said required immediate eye removal, her parents refused to accept the devastating outcome. They traveled through the night to Beijing Jingdu Children's Hospital — and what happened next is a testament to the power of specialized pediatric ophthalmology.
The patient, referred to as "Tiantian" (a pseudonym), had a history of congenital glaucoma in both eyes. She had undergone eye surgery as an infant, leaving her ocular tissues vulnerable and her vision already compromised.
Four days before admission, Tiantian's right eye suddenly turned red, accompanied by eye pain and headache. Her parents did not seek medical care immediately. Within just 3 days, the condition deteriorated drastically:
When the family finally visited their local hospital, the evaluating doctor assessed the condition as critical and recommended immediate enucleation (eye removal).
For an 8-year-old child, losing an eye means permanent facial asymmetry, loss of depth perception, and a lifetime of psychological impact. Tiantian's parents could not accept this. They tried a conservative regimen of antibiotic eye drops, but the infection continued to worsen.
With their last hope of saving the eye, Tiantian's parents traveled through the night to Beijing Jingdu Children's Hospital, seeking the expertise of Director Liang Tianwei's ophthalmology team.
What the medical team found on admission was alarming:
On examination:
The bacterial infection had already penetrated from the cornea deep into the interior of the eyeball. Enucleation was imminent — every hour mattered.
Director Liang immediately convened the ophthalmology team for an emergency case discussion. The team faced a difficult reality:
After careful evaluation, the team formulated a plan: emergency debridement of the corneal ulcer lesion combined with intravitreal antibiotic injection.
Dr. Li Hongyu raced to schedule the operating room. That very night, Tiantian underwent emergency surgery.
During the procedure, Director Liang — drawing on years of experience in complex pediatric eye diseases — meticulously cleaned the corneal ulcer lesion, removed pus from the surface, and precisely controlled every step. The goal: eliminate the infection focus while preserving as much healthy eye tissue as possible.
After surgery, lesion tissue was sent for bacterial smear testing and metagenomic sequencing to identify the exact pathogen and guide targeted treatment.
Post-surgery, the ophthalmology team adjusted medications based on test results. Parents and nurses applied eye drops around the clock, combined with systemic antibiotics. The team monitored Tiantian's condition daily, providing meticulous nursing care — conjunctival injections, conjunctival sac irrigation, and constant observation.
Gradually, the infection came under control:
The worst outcome — enucleation — was avoided. Watching the eye gradually return from white to a healthy appearance, Tiantian, her parents, and the entire medical team smiled with relief.
"We came to Beijing with the worst fear — that our daughter would lose her eye. Director Liang and the team gave us back our child's future. We will never forget the care, the skill, and the hope they gave us."
— Tiantian's parents
This case is a powerful example of the expertise of Director Liang Tianwei and the Jingdu Children's ophthalmology team. The department specializes in:
With advanced surgical techniques and individualized treatment protocols, the team is committed to protecting children's vision and eye health — using professional skill and compassionate care to preserve the gift of sight for children from around the world.
Red eye, eye pain, vision changes, or eye injury — don't wait. Contact our international patient team for an urgent consultation.
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