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. 

“For a young person, this is more than a medical setback – it is the interruption of education, independence, and future direction. This surgery represents the restoration of possibility. A corneal transplant is a surgical procedure in which a damaged or diseased cornea, the clear dome-shaped tissue at the front of the eye, is replaced with healthy donor tissue. 

“The cornea is arguably the most vital refractive part of the eye that focuses light to produce clear vision. During the transplant, a surgeon carefully removes the damaged cornea and sutures the healthy donor tissue into place with sutures finer than a human hair,” explains Prof Marais. 

Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, celebrates the achievement, saying that this milestone demonstrates how health innovation, research, and clinical excellence can create meaningful societal impact where it matters most. 

“Innovation at the UFS is therefore not abstract; it is restoring sight, rebuilding futures, and advancing human possibility.” He adds, heaping praise on the clinical team, “Cutting-edge clinical innovation must always serve people first, especially young citizens whose futures depend on access and care. This successful procedure reflects the strength of innovation ecosystems that connect research, specialist training, and compassionate care.”

Not difficult but rare 

The procedure takes place within a department that continues to advance both care and training in central South Africa. Under the leadership of Prof Marais, corneal transplantation has become part of a broader commitment to restoring vision, expanding access to subspecialist care, and developing the next generation of ophthalmologists. 

According to Dr Cummings, the actual surgery is not difficult, but it has become very rare – especially in the public sector – due to a lack of corneal tissue, as no-one is donating corneas.

“Interestingly enough, about 20 years ago there were many more corneal transplants than at present, as there was more tissue available due to various factors. I recently read an article that stated that the number of transplants has dropped by almost 80% since then.”

“Technically, the procedure is straightforward; we use special trephines to cut out the donor tissue and the damaged cornea to specific measurements. Often, the damaged cornea needs to be cut with specific left- and right-handed corneal scissors. The donor tissue is then placed on the recipient and sutured into place with around 16 sutures around the edge of the graft, so in the end it almost looks like a clock,” explains Dr Cummings. 

The difficulty, he continues, lies in the suturing and the tension on the sutures, as well as the accuracy in the placement of the sutures to try and reduce the amount of astigmatism caused by the warping of the tissue due to the sutures.

A life-changing decision 

Dr Cummings expresses his gratitude to the donor and his family, saying that behind every corneal transplant is a family who, in the midst of profound loss, is making an extraordinary decision. “In this case, a family grieving the death of a son and brother chose to honour his life through donation. In one of their most difficult moments, they gave permission for his corneas to restore sight to someone they would never meet.” 

“That decision will continue to ripple forward in a life they will not witness, but one that has been fundamentally changed by their generosity. Through one family’s decision during a time of desperate sadness, a young man will once again be able to see, study, dream and live life to its fullest,” says Dr Cummings.

Prof Marais says this moment also serves as a reminder of the quiet but profound impact of organ and tissue donation. A single donor can save up to seven lives through organ donation and restore or transform the lives of many more through tissue donation, including restoring sight through corneal grafting.