Man who was blind gets sight back after becoming first person in Ireland to undergo revolutionary procedure

An Irish man who was blind has gotten his sight back after becoming the first person in this country to undergo a revolutionary procedure.

Stuart Haxell had a rare inherited retinal dystrophy which only allowed him to see a small amount of light for 13 years.

But medics decided he was a candidate for a new gene therapy called “Luxturna” at the Mater Hospital, which was performed by Professor David Keegan.

The Sligo man, who underwent the operation in November, said it took just weeks for him to be able to read again - something he never thought would be possible.

Mr. Haxell said: “For the first time in over a decade, I can see the world around me. Being able to read again is something I never thought possible and my quality of life has been improved.

"I really appreciate Professor Keegan, his team, the Mater Hospital staff, and the HSE for giving me this ground-breaking treatment and bringing sight back to me.”

Mater Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon Professor David Keegan said the condition is so rare that one patient might be identified every two to three years. In order for a patient to be suitable for “Luxturna”, they must have sufficient remaining retinal structure for treatment.

Medics will then remove the eye's vitreous jelly. They will subsequently give an injection that creates a temporary retinal detachment - which paves the way for functional sight. Before long, the cells in the eye produce an enzyme that sees vision restored.

Explaining how the procedure works, Professor Keegan said: “It’s akin to plugging a television back in. The procedure is most effective when administered in childhood before significant retinal degeneration occurs, but as Stuart’s case demonstrates, benefits are not only possible but significant in adults.”

Medics at the Mater Hospital reckon they will treat a second patient later this year. Top doctors believe the success of this gene therapy paves the way for future advancements in treating other degenerative eye diseases.

Mater Hospital CEO Josephine Ryan Leacy said: “This achievement represents a paradigm shift in Irish healthcare and ophthalmology.

“We are on the cusp of transforming how genetic and degenerative eye conditions are treated in Ireland and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Professor Keegan and his team for the incredible results we are already seeing with this new treatment.

“Restoring sight and improving a patient's quality of life is a humbling achievement and we hope to see many more success stories in the coming years.”

Finbarr Roche, CEO of the charity Fighting Blindness said: “This monumental advance gives hope to all those people in Ireland living with a visual impairment – the first treatment to reverse sight loss.

“We believe that a lot of sight loss is reversible; and this treatment is a direct result of vision research – and we firstly thank the Irish public who have contributed to vision research in Ireland and abroad.

“Stuart Haxell was identified as a suitable recipient through the database of clinical diagnoses and genetic codes that has been spearheaded by fundraising in Ireland, our Target 5000 project, for all those living with inherited retinal conditions.

“This sends a clear signal to our community and the wider public that investing in scientific research can make possible what used to be accepted as impossible.”

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