A new eye surgery is to be offered in hospitals in Suffolk and North Essex taking 15 to 20 minutes per patient.

The glaucoma surgery is being offered by East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) will offer the surgery, becoming the first in the country to do so.

The trust covers hospitals in Ipswich, Colchester, Clacton, Felixstowe and Harwich.

The first operations in the UK have taken place at ESNEFT, where the procedure has been carried out on 12 patients since mid-March, with each operation taking just 15 to 20 minutes to complete.

Chrys Dimitriou, ESNEFT consultant eye surgeon, said: "We are delighted to be at the forefront of this pioneering new treatment.

"It could make a real difference to hundreds of patients every year by helping to prevent further sight loss and reducing their reliance on eye drops, which can cause red, dry, or itchy eyes.