23/06/2026
: ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐โ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐
A young student who had to drop out of university when his vision was severely affected by keratoconus has regained his sight thanks to a successful corneal transplant at the Universitas Annex Hospital under the leadership of Prof Wayne Marais from the University of the Free State (UFS).
This life-changing procedure was made possible by donor tissue from a young organ donor from Bloemfontein. The donor tissue was retrieved by the dedicated team from the Bay Tissue Institute under the guidance of Dr Theunis Botha, with the assistance of Ryan Scheepers, Dr Joshua Cummings from the Universitas Hospital, and the team at the Bloemfontein Eye and Laser Clinic. Their coordinated work ensures that donor tissue is prepared safely and respectfully for transplantation.
The operation took place on Tuesday 26 May 2026, with Prof Marais, Head of the UFS Department of Ophthalmology, as the lead surgeon. He was assisted by Dr Cummings. Ophthalmology registrars from the university were also part of the operation. Keratoconus, according to Prof Marais, is a progressive condition in which the cornea becomes thin and irregular, leading to distortion, scarring, and significant visual loss. The condition of the 21-year-old student, whose name and details are being withheld to protect his identity, had progressed to the point where he had to pause his studies at the University of Pretoria.
Read more: https://www.ufs.ac.za/templates/news-archive-item/campus-news/2026/june/student-s-ability-to-see-restored-with-corneal-transplant
| |
