Stamford Official Claims He Was Blinded By Wilton Eye Surgeon: Lawsuit

STAMFORD, CT — A Stamford official has filed a lawsuit in state Superior Court in Bridgeport, claiming he suffered vision loss following a procedure at a local surgery center almost two years ago.

Hoping to become a flight instructor one day in retirement, Stamford Chief Digital Officer Isidore "Izzy" Sobkowski underwent cataract surgery to improve his eyesight at Wilton Surgery Center in May 2022.

However, the procedure left him with permanent and severe vision loss and ended his post-retirement plans, according to the lawsuit which was filed in December against the surgery center and Dr. Glenn E. Ostriker, an ophthalmologist.

Stamford Health is also named in the lawsuit; Ostriker serves as the director of ophthalmology at Stamford Hospital.

"Just hours after Izzy's ophthalmologist, Dr. Ostriker, discharged him from the Wilton Surgery Center, Izzy began to experience symptoms of postoperative endophthalmitis — a sight-threatening bacterial infection of the eye that is one of the most feared outcomes of a cataract surgery," the lawsuit claims. "Sadly, Izzy's injuries — now dominated by permanent and severe vision loss punctuated by uncontrollable eye tearing and severe light sensitivity — were 100 percent preventable."

Wilton Surgery Center and Ostriker "did not adequately and properly clean, sterilize, disinfect, inspect, prepare, package, store, maintain, and use surgical equipment, instrumentation, multiuse vials, and irrigation fluids used during the cataract surgery," the lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit claims Sobkowski was not the only patient treated at Wilton Eye Surgery on May 24, 2022, to lose vision following a scheduled sight-enhancing surgery.

At least one additional patient was blinded after developing a postoperative bacterial endophthalmitis, the lawsuit claims.

Sobkowski's wife, Frances Tischler, is a co-plaintiff in the lawsuit. The lawsuit claims the injuries have transformed Sobkowski's relationship with his wife from partner to caretaker.

"This lawsuit seeks justice for Izzy and Fran. It also aims to improve the safety of cataract surgeries performed across Connecticut, so that the outbreak of bacterial endophthalmitis that occurred at the Wilton Surgery Center is the last in the state," the lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit further claims the postoperative infection took Sobkowski's "ability to perform critical job functions; his freelance IT work; his future as a flight instructor; his ability to drive significant distances; his ability to scuba dive and swim; his ability to bike ride for exercise; his woodworking practice; and more."

According to his LinkedIn profile, Sobkowski has served as Stamford's chief digital officer since October 2021.

Sobkowski and Tischler are claiming unspecified monetary damages.

"As this matter is the subject of pending litigation, Stamford Health will express its views and defend itself through the judicial process," said Eric Stockman of Stockman O'Connor Connors, the firm that represents Stamford Health, in a statement to Patch.

Attorneys for Wilton Surgery Center and Ostriker did not return requests for comment Tuesday.