It is a blessing for a 44-year-old Malaysian, "Ho", a victim of an acid attack when she regained sight in both her eyes after undergoing a revolutionary eye treatment at the Eye & Cornea Transplant Centre in Singapore.

Met at the centre today, the woman, who did not want to reveal her full name because of security reasons, said following the attack in Malaysia, both of her eyes were damaged.

"I considered myself as totally blind. I could only see some light," she said.

She was initially offered a normal cornea transplant procedure but when she learned it would fail within a year, she decided not to do it.

She underwent the Boston keratoprosthesis (K-Pro) surgery four months ago.

During the procedure, the diseased cornea was removed. An artificial one was then stitched onto the patient's eye, and a contact lens was placed over it.

Considering herself as very lucky after another doctor from the hospital where she was treated earlier recommended her to the centre, Ho said her vision had improved and only complained that she had some itchiness in the eye.

The centre's medical director, Dr Leonard Ang, said: "A revolutionary new eye operation can now help restore vision in patients with blinding cornea diseases."

The operation cost some S$35,000.

- Bernama