Harry Reid released from hospital after 2nd eye surgery
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid was released from The George Washington University Hospital on Wednesday evening following a second surgery on his injured right eye, though it remains unclear whether he will fully regain his vision. Doctors performed a lengthy surgery on Reid to repair bones in his face in January and drain blood from his eye, but they were unable to access the back of his retina due to swelling and required Wednesdayâs procedure. Reid was seriously injured on Jan. 1 after his exercise band snapped and flung him into cabinets, blinding him in the right eye with no clear timetable for a full recovery of vision. Story Continued Below âDoctors will continue to monitor his right eye and hope to have a clearer prognosis for his vision in the coming days. On doctorâs orders, Sen. Reid will continue to rest his eye for the next few days,â said Kristen Orthman, a spokeswoman for Reid. Although Reid has missed significant time in the Senate this year, the Democratic leader has left his tactical mark, leading a partywide filibuster of a Republican bill that would fund the Department of Homeland Security but attack President Barack Obamaâs immigration policies. The Democratic blockade has left Republicans unable to move the bill through the Senate and sparked internal GOP divisions about the way forward. Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has been filling in for Reid since Wednesday as the Senate prepares to confirm Ash Carter to be defense secretary, but Reid notified his team before his surgery that he plans to run for reelection in 2016 despite his injuries and the GOP target on him. Senators will leave town as early as Thursday afternoon ahead of next weekâs recess. Reid is expected to return to the Senate when the chamber reconvenes on Feb. 23 â four days before funding for the Department of Homeland Security expires.