A new cornea transplant procedure performed in Rechovot’s Kaplan Hospital has permitted 84-year-old Rav Yechyi Gamliel to literally see the Chanukah light. Rav Gamliel, who for the past 40 years has been a clerk in the Gadera Religious Council has lost virtually of his vision in both eyes. He explained his new reality was really painful, compelling him to stop work, but even worse, he could not longer see anything in sifrei kodesh or be a chazzan in shul.

In steps Dr. Aryeh Markowitz, an expert in cornea surgical procedures, has apparently developed a new procedure which permits the transplant of a portion of a healthy cornea into the eye of the recipient, while leaving part of the original cornea in place.

“I cannot explain the joy to once again see, write, learn and be a chazon” explained the rav.

Markowitz explains that when Gamliel was examined, he was already legally blind and had extremely limited vision in both eyes. Today however, he is seeing just fine thanks to the new procedure.

Markowitz and his team takes donor corneas and splits them into front and rear, and thereby can treat four patients instead of two. As a result, there new procedure has restored sight in 40 patients he happily explains.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)