First for NHS as man, 91, is given artificial cornea

A 91-year-old man who became the first patient in England to have his sight saved by an artificial layer in his cornea has praised the procedure for allowing him to still see his wife.

- Nicola Davis

Cecil Farley, from Chobham in Surrey, had problems with his right eye for about 15 years before losing his vision. He required a cornea transplant to save his sight but his previous surgery - a graft with a human cornea - failed and doctors warned the next might too. The shortage of human corneas from deceased donors also meant Farley faced a year-long wait.

But a first for the NHS allowed him to bypass the queue: the implantation of an artificial cornea. While still early days for such implants, experts say the approach could eventually become a standard treatment and help drive down the health service's record waiting list.

"I can still see my wife after 63 years of marriage. We can just carry on as normal and live life as fully as we can," Farley said.

"It makes your life fuller when your eyes work properly - you don't realise how debilitating it is until it happens to you."

He said eventually he would like to tackle tasks such as repairing a watch but for now he was content "pottering about" with his wife, Elizabeth, 83.