A patient who had lost all vision in his right eye has praised the 'excellent' care he received at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust after a corneal transplant restored his sight.
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Yankuba Touray, 36, who works in logistics at Morrisons, first noticed problems with his eyesight in February 2025.
Yankuba said: "I first realised my vision was low when it felt like something white was inside my eye and I thought it would disappear, but it progressively got worse. I work with numbers and codes every day at work and I realised I was struggling to see them."
Yankuba visited his local optician, who advised him to attend hospital. He was seen at his local hospital before being referred to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals for specialist care, where he was diagnosed with corneal clouding, which was likely to be caused by a complication of a condition called keratoconus.
Keratoconus is an eye condition where the normally round, clear window at the front of the eye that helps focus light, gradually becomes thinner and stretches into a cone shape. This can make the eye more short-sighted and the irregular shape of the cornea can affect vision. A less common complication of keratoconus, known as 'acute hydrops' can cause vision to deteriorate quickly.
Yankuba said: "The doctor told me that I would need a transplant and I would have to join a waiting list for a donor to have the surgery. I waited around seven months and when I got a call to say I had reached the top of the list and can schedule the surgery, it was my lucky day."
Yankuba underwent a right corneal graft transplant at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, part of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in March 2026.
"My wife was very supportive and came with me to my surgery. We went in at 8am and the doctors and nurses explained the whole process and made sure I was comfortable. I was put under general anaesthetic, and I didn't feel a thing until I woke up, with my wife by my side."
The recovery process following a corneal transplant takes time, with vision clearing slowly over several weeks to a year depending on the type of procedure.
"I had bandages on my eyes for the first day and then I had them taken off, but at first you cannot open your eyes properly for a month or so and then they gradually start to open. As time went on after the surgery I started to get my normal vision back. Before the surgery everything was blank in that eye, and now I would say I can already see 99%."
"The care at the hospital has been very good, they have been so helpful, talked me through everything and made me feel at ease - it's an excellent service."
Corneal transplants are only possible thanks to the generosity of donors and their families, who give the gift of sight to patients like Yankuba.
"For me, without this surgery I didn't feel complete, or myself, and now I have been given my life back. If I could give a message to the donor's family I would thank them and let them know they have enabled me to live normally again."
Mr. Matthew Edwards, Consultant Ophthalmic surgeon at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We are delighted with how Yankuba has recovered following his corneal transplant and to hear how much of a difference the surgery has made to his life. Yankuba's story is a wonderful example of the life-changing impact that corneal donation can have and we hope his story encourages more people to consider becoming a donor and, importantly, to talk to their loved ones about their wishes."
