A patient at the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has become the first person in the South West to receive an artificial cornea transplant.

The procedure was completed at the West of England Eye Unit (WEEU), based at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford). It involves surgically attaching the artificial cornea to the eye by one or three stitches, held in place with a gas bubble, in a day case procedure which takes less than half an hour.

Patient Jason Maddocks has suffered from glaucoma for over 30 years and previously described his vision in his right eye as ‘non-existent’. Since having the surgery in December, he says his vision is returning.

Jason said: “I’ve had to have a lot of things done to this eye in the past, including a human corneal graft that sadly didn’t take, so I was thrilled to be offered this procedure.

“I’ve been coming into the unit on an almost weekly basis for the past few years, so they could keep a close eye on what was happening with my vision, and I can’t speak highly enough of the team here.

“To be the first in the South West to have this operation is a huge privilege, and I hope it will help many other people get their vision back like me.”

Following this first successful transplant in December 2024, the WEEU has since completed three more procedures.

Mr Harry Roberts, Cornea and External Eye Disease Consultant at the Royal Devon, said:

 “We are really proud to be the third NHS trust in the country and the first in the South West using this technology to make a real difference to our patients’ lives.”

“All of the patients we have treated so far have previously undergone corneal transplants which failed within 12 months due to tissue rejection. Without this life-changing technology, these patients would likely face lifelong blindness in the affected eye.”