After he was squirted within the eye with battery acid, Paul Laskey thought he would lose his eye solely, till a donated placenta helped save a few of his sight.
Paul, 43, was attacked after he confronted 21-year-old Robbie Scott, who had mugged his son in Newcastle simply minutes earlier.
When Paul went to confront Scott, he squirted him with battery acid from a drinks bottle.
“I knew instantly. I couldn’t see anything, I couldn’t breathe, it was in my nose and mouth. I thought I was fighting for my life.”
Paul was rushed to hospital the place he was advised the burn had prompted limbal stem cell failure and extreme neurotrophic keratopathy in one in every of his eyes – this meant the cells throughout the eye could not correctly restore or regenerate the floor of the cornea and the nerves throughout the eye have been failing to operate correctly.
The internal and outer layers of the cornea had successfully “melted”.
Whereas one eye was unhurt, there was a concern he might lose his left eye solely. What adopted over the following eight months was in depth surgical procedure, together with two cornea transplants.
However then got here hope within the type of a donated placenta.
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Paul was injured after acid was thrown in his eyes
‘This saved my eye’
Paul was given three amnion grafts, the place tissue is taken from the internal lining of a donated placenta and made into small patches. These grafts stabilised his eye, avoiding additional melting and saving the restricted imaginative and prescient he did have.
“I don’t think it initially registered what it was, but I think it’s just unbelievable,” he stated.
“It’s like a skin over the top of my eye, giving it a chance to heal.”
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The amnion graft
Paul spent six months off work, struggling to go away the home as he could not address the sunshine sensitivity.
Earlier than he had the process, Paul stated he was “really low”.
“I didn’t think it was going to save me,” he stated. “But now it feels like a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Paul is now again at work, and again teaching his son’s soccer staff. He nonetheless struggles together with his depth notion – he can solely see shadows from his left eye.
“But this saved my eye and hopefully future procedures will give me some sort of sight.”
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The amniotic membrane two weeks put up op. Pic: Prof Francisco Figueiredo
Scott was sentenced to 10 years in jail for the assault on Paul – he pleaded responsible however gave no account of what occurred on that day.
Regardless that it meant shedding his sight, Paul stated he has no regrets about confronting his son’s attacker. He stated it may have been his 16-year-old son who was burned as an alternative of him.
“I would do it again – I would rather it be me than [my son],” Paul stated. “He was just 16 at the time and it would have been absolutely devastating if this had happened to him.”
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Paul’s eyes after the primary amnion graft
‘Very particular surgical procedure’
In 2024 NHS Blood and Transplant offered 882 amniotic membrane grafts for transplantation, all of which have been offered for eye surgical procedure. Paul’s eye harm was one of the extreme his marketing consultant has handled.
Every donated placenta can be utilized to make as much as 100 amnion grafts, treating sufferers for something from eye accidents to burns and ailments.
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Paul, pictured earlier than the assault
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Paul stated the graft has been ‘life-changing’
Claire Value, nationwide retrieval supervisor at NHS Blood and Transplant’s Tissue and Eye Companies, stated this kind of surgical procedure is “very special”.
“The placenta is a vital organ whilst growing a child but immediately after birth, is usually discarded,” she stated. “Donating is easy and does not affect the baby.”
She thanked all of the moms who donate their placentas.
“While we can currently collect all the placentas we need, Paul’s story is a reminder of just how important donation of all types is, including blood, plasma, organ and stem cells,” she added.
Professor Francisco Figueiredo, marketing consultant ophthalmologist at Newcastle Eye Centre, who handled Paul for his accidents, stated chemical eye burns are a “true emergency”.
“They can cause significant sight loss that will substantially impact the quality of the patient’s life and rapid treatment is crucial,” he stated.
“It is safe to say that these grafts have helped to save the vision Paul still has – and allowed us to move towards further treatment to restore his lost sight.”
