179: man's sight restored after 66 years

This is a wonderful little tale. An 87-year-old Scottish man has had his sight restored after losing it during a wartime bombing 66 years ago, the BBC reported today. John Gray, a firewatcher, was injured when the building he was in collapsed - he was the only survivor pulled from the building, but he sustained a head injury and lost his sight in his right eye. He lived with this stoically until the sight in his other eye began to deteriorate, and doctors agreed they should try and restore sight to the injured eye. Following surgery to replace the scarred lens in his right eye, and some time to allow his brain to adjust, Mr Gray can now see well enough to read and even to sit a driving test. Not surprisingly, he's pretty happy about the outcome. But his story also holds hope for others - since it demonstrates the advancements in technology and knowledge that could lead to others' sight being restored where this was previously thought impossible. (Photo from BBC online.)