Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid is set to undergo eye surgery on Monday as he recovers from injuries sustained in an exercise accident.
The 75-year-old lost sight in his right eye in the accident, and the surgery is said to be necessary to restore full vision in the eye.
Reid returned to the Senate on Tuesday, but did not attend the State of the Union address that night. His face was bruised and a bandage covered his right eye. The Democrat caucus applauded his return at the weekly lunch on Tuesday.
He injured his eye in an exercise accident at his Nevada home that also left him with fractured ribs and facial bones. During the New Year’s Day home workout, Reid fell after a resistance band snapped and hit him in the face. He was hospitalized overnight in Las Vegas.
Last week, Reid assured constituents that he is still strong enough to maintain office in an interview with KNPR, a Nevada public radio station.
“No one should question my physical ability. I’ve always been fairly confident in my ability to fight back. I’ll continue to fight back,” Reid said. “I’m in the process of setting up for the next go-around.”
Reid was not in the Senate on Wednesday but is expected back on Thursday. He will work from home in Washington DC while he recovers from surgery. “His broken ribs are healing well, and he will continue to maintain a busy schedule next week as his right eye heals,” his office said in a statement.
