A RARE genetic condition means little Thomas Batten was born without eyes - but specialists at a London hospital have completed the first stage of a process to provide him with artificial ones.

The 19-month-old, from Victoria Street, Abergavenny, captured readers' hearts when he was featured in the Argus last summer, and since then his treatment has moved into another phase.

Only around 35 babies a year in the UK are born without eyes, a condition known as bilateral anophthalmia.

For Thomas, as for others, life involves ongoing treatment in which special eye socket expanders have been fitted, to enable his sockets to accommodate artificial eyes.

"He's had three different sizes of expander from when he was born and his sockets have got to the stage where they are big enough to hold a solid shape," said dad Chris, a postman.

"The expanders filled the hole up, otherwise there would have been problems as his face grew.

"Hopefully in a few weeks they will try to paint an eyeball onto the front surface of the artificial eyeball, to make it look as normal as possible.

"But we're not sure yet whether it will happen in February, because it depends on the movement of the shape in the socket."

Like Thomas's other treatment, it will take place at Moorfield Eye Hospital, and Mr Batten estimated that he and wife Anna, a care worker, had taken the youngster there 15 times.

"They've opened a new children's department there which is fantastic," said Mr Batten.

"Thomas has got a place at nursery from the age of three and before he starts they want to make sure his artificial eyes are OK, that they fit and he's coping with them. But that is about 18 months away so we've got some time."

The next stage of Thomas's development is likely to be walking, and Mr Batten said his son is only a week or two away from beginning to walk around.

"That will bring new challenges for him and us, but he's ready for it," he said.

Help has poured in for little Thomas AFTER Thomas was featured in the Argus in the summer, many people have held sponsored events to raise around £4,000 to help the family with the costs involved in travelling to and from Moorfield Hospital.

"A lot of people have helped out, from all over the place, and one of the recent events was a coffee morning over the Christmas holiday. We're very grateful to everyone," said Mr Batten.