Artist's final painting gifted to doctor who saved his sight

Tom Hume's wife Barbara gave the painting to his doctor, Mr Habib, following her husband's sudden death last year

A painting, intended as a thank you gift for the eye surgeon who saved the artist's sight, has been presented by his wife to a doctor at Sunderland Eye Infirmary.

Tom Hume, from Stockton, completed the surprise gift weeks before his sudden death last year at the age of 81.

He had planned to give it to his doctor, consultant ophthalmologist and retinal surgeon Mr Maged Habib, as a token of his gratitude following treatment for a detached retina some 20 years ago.

The artwork was presented to Mr Habib by Mr Hume's wife, Barbara: "He was always so appreciative," she said.

Mr Hume, who was formerly head of art at Middlesbrough High School, became a patient at Sunderland Eye Infirmary around 20 years ago when he woke to find he had lost his sight in one eye.

He was treated at the hospital for a detached retina, which restored his vision.

Mr Hume previously worked as head of art at Middlesbrough High School

More recently, he was cared for by Mr Habib when scar tissue grew over the retina at the back of his eye, which caused distortion in his vision - making it harder for him to work as an artist.

After surgery, his eyesight was once again fully restored.

'Very moved'

Mr Hume gave the painting the title, Kosthalmic - a mash-up of the words cosmic and ophthalmic. Notes in his sketch book referred to the image as an eye, and said the design drew on the structure of outer space.

The artist documented the painting's progress with a series of photos

Mr Hume passed away following a cardiac arrest while swimming in Seaham Harbour in October last year.

Mrs Hume said: "Tom completed the painting a fortnight before he died, not knowing it would be his last, and I felt it must get to Mr Habib, although I knew it would be hard to pass it on."

Mr Habib said is was a "honour" to receive the painting.

"I was very moved when we received the note to say Tom had made this painting for me. I really had no idea he had created it," he said.

"It is exceptionally kind of Barbara to complete his wish to visit us to present the painting, and tell us about the process and time he took to create it."