THE John Radcliffe has become one of just three hospitals in the UK to offer a revolutionary new treatment for a rare cause of blindness.

The gene therapy can restore eyesight for those with an inherited retinal disorder known as Leber Congenital Amaurosis.

Matthew Wood, a patient in Oxford, speaking ahead of his operation, said: “There’s a mix of nervousness and excitement.

"I’ve known I’ve had retinitis pigmentosa since I was a child, but the specific gene was identified just a few years ago, and that’s what’s made this treatment possible."

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He added: “I have had many eye tests over the years and I am registered blind, but actually what I realise is I value the sight that I have, and if this treatment can prevent further deterioration, then that’s a big thing for me.

"The prognosis is that my sight will deteriorate further, so maintaining the sight I have is really important.”

The condition affects about one in 80,000 people and is the most common form of inherited sight loss in children.

The treatment, in the form of an injection, is the first approved NHS gene therapy for an eye disease, and costs around £600,000 but NHS England has agreed a discounted price with the manufacturer Novartis.

The gene therapy for adults is initially available in Manchester, London, and Oxford.