A FIRM of solicitors is offering to help victims of the Sussex eye ops bungle sue for compensation.

Brighton-based medical lawyers are already consulting two of the 19 NHS patients wrongly injected with eye drops at the BUPA Gatwick Park Hospital.

And they are inviting the rest to contact them for legal advice on the prospect of launching claims.

The Argus exclusively revealed on Friday how 19 pensioners were incorrectly injected before cataract operations at the private hospital last month.

One 80-year-old woman said she was consulting a solicitor after being struck blind in one eye.

Now solicitors Donne, Mileham and Haddock, of Queen's Road, are offering others the chance to join her.

Partner Lucienne Westbrook said: "Exactly how this error occurred still has to be established, but I am confident we will secure appropriate compensation for clients who have suffered inflammation and corneal damage."

Altogether, 21 patients aged 65 and over were referred to Gatwick as part of Brighton Health Care NHS Trust's drive to bring down record waiting lists.

The full impact of the botched operations will not be known for three to six months, but two-thirds of patients have shown side effects and some could suffer long-term damage.

East Sussex, Brighton and Hove Health Authority and BUPA are both conducting inquiries.

ABUPA spokesman said: "As far as looking at what went wrong with this surgery is concerned, we are accepting joint liability with Brighton Health Care."

Elizabeth Bell of Brighton Health Care said: "We can't comment until the results of the independent inquiry are made public."

Anyone considering legal action over the operations can call Donne, Mileham and Haddock's helpline on 001273 744318. Anyone with fears or queries about cataract ops should call Brighton Health Care NHS Trust's own helpline on 001273 664848.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.