I WRITE as a concerned citizen regarding your stories (Blind Fury, April 24, and Saved, April 25) regarding Mr Howard's fight to get an operation to save his eyesight, and his success after his story appeared in The Press.

I am sure other readers will agree with my main concern, that it is appalling that he should have to go to these lengths to get this operation.

It was mentioned about postcode lotteries deciding who gets treatment, but why? It is false economy, as it would surely cost more to care for a partially-sighted person than it would to prevent it happening through treatment.

The question I ask is, if this article had not appeared in The Press, would Mr Howard now be getting his treatment, or is it just for public relations?

G Welsh, Navigation Road, York.