SIGHT RESTORED

Taranaki Daily News, 13 November 1934, Page 2

SIGHT RESTORED

PATIENT FROM NEW ZEALAND. EYE-GRAFTING OPERATION. London, Sept. 28. There are many friends in New Zealand who are anxiously waiting for news of the progress of Mr. W. I. Blair, of Te Horo, Manawatu, who arrived in England last May for consultation with Mr. Tudor Thomas, the eminent Cardiff ophthalmic surgeon, whose wonderful eye grafting operations caused so great a stir among ophthalmic surgeons, writes the correspondent of the Wellington Post. Mr. Tudor Thomas made a favourable report, and waited for the suitable case of a patient from whom an eye had to be removed to provide cornea for the graft in the case of Mr. Blair. The operation took place at the Central London Ophthalmic Hospital at the end of June, the cornea being grafted into his left eye. He was in hospital for a month, and is now staying with his sister, Dr. Mary Blair. It is most gratifying to be able to report that as the result of the operation Mr. Blairs eye has steadily improved, he is now able to read letters half an inch long, and can even see well enough to play cards. Naturally, says Mr. Blair himself, one cannot expect to be quite like a normal person after having been practically blind for about 17 years, but the result has so far exceeded his most optimistic hopes. He is able now to go about the London streets by himself and to travel by biis alone. His right eye has still to be dealt with, and he hopes that when this is done he will possess a very useful measure of vision. Mr. Blair has, naturally, met with a great deal of kindness, .and immense interest has been {shown in his case. He has had numerous letters of inquiry from many friends, including a large number from New Zealand. All these will be delighted to have this excellent news, and further to know that Mr. Blair himself has typed very' neatly the letter which gives the information now passed on to friends in the Dominion. He hopes that the time will not be far distant when he will be able to return to his farm and his family.