diff --git a/oct_converter/readers/e2e.py b/oct_converter/readers/e2e.py
index 1f694e8..c4b66f4 100644
--- a/oct_converter/readers/e2e.py
+++ b/oct_converter/readers/e2e.py
@@ -323,7 +323,8 @@ def read_fundus_image(
             # initalise dict to hold all the image volumes
             image_array_dict = {}
             laterality_dict = {}
-
+            laterality = None
+            
             # traverse all chunks and extract slices
             for start, pos in chunk_stack:
                 f.seek(start + self.byte_skip)