LAHORE: An eight-year-old boy was among the 10 people who got back their sight on Saturday, thanks to a gift of corneas from Sri Lanka-Pak Friendship Trade Association to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

`Ajmal, 8, was suffering from corneal opacity, a condition that leaves vision clouded and eventually dark, said Prof Asad Aslam Khan, Vicechancellor of the King Edward Medical University and head of MayoHospital`s Institute of Ophthalmology.

Abdul Majeed, 65, was the oldest patient on the list. `He had Fuch`s Dystrophy, a disorder initially causing swelling in the cornea, can lead to cloudy glare and in the advance stage vision is lost,` said Prof Khan who was assisted by nine doctors in the surgical procedure conducted at the Mayo Hospital.

`The Sri Lankans are at the top in the world in Cornea donations. A sumof $300 is required for transportation of a cornea from Sri Lanka to Pakistan, but this time these expenses are borne by Sri Lanka-Pak Trade Friendship Association,` said the vice-chancellor who received the corneas at the Lahore airport around noon on Saturday.

`At the Institute of Ophthalmology, we have a waiting list. As and when corneas are received the same are transplanted to the patients who are atop the list,` said Prof Khan.-Staff Reporter