The treatment was pioneered by Israeli doctor Isaac Lipshitz and could be brought to Yorkshire by eye surgeon Shafiq Rehman of the hospital at Apperley Bridge near Bradford.

Mr Rehman said: "This is a very exciting treatment which could help thousands of people. This disease is set to become even more prevalent as the UK population ages.

He added: "This lens could prove to be a lifeline for many sufferers of macular degeneration, restoring vision in those for whom, up until now there have been extremely limited options."

The treatment, called Lipshitz Macular Implant (LMI), is designed to strengthen vision by magnifying images entering the eye.

The LMI uses a lens that incorporates miniature mirrors in a telescopic effect that modifies the reflected image and the healthy peripheral retina would be able to pick up some of the image.

The patient is said to see a magnified central image through the mirror telescope but retains a normal non-magnified image through the periphery of the lens.

Macular degeneration affects an estimated half a million people in the UK and is said to be the most common cause of sight loss in the over 50s.

Yorkshire Eye Hospital, the region's only specialist eye hospital, will assess the new treatment in the coming weeks.

Those interested in contacting the hospital to discuss the Lipshitz lens or any other eye treatment can call 0845 456 1722.