Exeter patient first in South West to receive artificial cornea

A pioneering artificial cornea transplant has been successfully carried out at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, marking a significant milestone as the first procedure of its kind in the South West.

The procedure was completed at the West of England Eye Unit (WEEU), a service of the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. This innovative treatment involves attaching an artificial cornea to the eye with stitches, held in place by a gas bubble in a quick day case operation lasting under 30 minutes.

Exeter resident Jason Maddocks, who has lived with glaucoma for over 30 years, was the first to undergo the life-changing transplant in December 2024. His right eye, which he had previously described as ‘non-existent’ due to the damage from glaucoma, has already shown signs of improvement.

“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,” Jason said. “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.”

Jason’s transplant is just the beginning, with the WEEU having since completed three more successful procedures.

Mr Harry Roberts, Cornea and External Eye Disease Consultant at the Royal Devon, commented: “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.”

This success marks a major step forward in treating severe corneal damage, offering renewed hope to patients with few options left.