A Baltimore ophthalmologist allegedly performed hundreds of unnecessary laser procedures on Medicare patients, according to a federal lawsuit filed this month.

Some glaucoma patients treated by John Arthur Kiely, MD, underwent a dozen unneeded surgeries, and a patient may be blind because of the repeated procedures, alleges the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Between October 2002 and April 2009, Dr. Kiely treated glaucoma patients with multiple argon laser trabeculoplasties (ALT), lysis adhesion procedures and Yag capsulotomies that the government alleges were not medically necessary. Some of the procedures billed for were never even performed, according to the complaint.

The government alleges that Dr. Kiely should have known that "repeating the ALT more than 2 times per eye per patient or performing the procedures on patients who do not even have open angle glaucoma is neither responsible nor necessary."

One patient may be blind because of unsuccessful repeat procedures. If Dr. Kiely would have referred the patient to another physician for trabeculectomy after ALT surgery failed the first time, "her vision loss in the right eye could have been prevented," alleges the government. Dr. Kiely did not respond to a request for comment for this article.

The complaint says that many of Dr. Kiely's patient records didn't include adequate assessment of the progression of optic nerve damage that may have warranted repeat laser procedures.

The government is asking that Dr. Kiely be fined triple the amount that he allegedly bilked from the government plus a penalty of $5,500 to $11,000 per false claim. The complaint didn't list an amount for the alleged unnecessary laser procedures. A hearing date has yet to be set.

Kent Steinriede