Dozens of serious eye injuries have been prevented since the introduction of plastic glasses, the Mail can reveal.

Polycarbonate glasses were rolled out in Hull in May 2008 when eye surgeons were treating 20 glass attack victims a year.

But since the campaign launch, led by Humberside Police and NHS Hull, not one person has needed eye surgery as the result of a glassing.

The campaign has saved the primary care trust more than £7.2 million a year in surgery.

Each eye operation costs the health service and taxpayer £184,000.

Paul Laing, public health lead from NHS Hull, said: "This project has had a massive impact on reducing alcohol-related harm in Hull.

"It has resulted in savings to the NHS of approximately £7.2 million over the two years this has been in force through the reduction in ophthalmic operations.

"Before 2008 one of our eye surgeons was the busiest in the country, performing 20 operations a year for glass attack victims alone.

"But these operations have been eliminated and since May 2008 the department has had no admissions from this type of attack.

"Glassing attacks do still happen and still need to be reduced, however, from a health perspective, these incidents have not resulted in significant eye injuries leading to surgery."

Overall, there has been a 40 per cent reduction in the total number of glassing attacks, with a 52 per cent reduction in the city centre alone, since the introduction of the glasses.

In 2006-07 there were 107 attacks, which was reduced to 65 attacks in 2009-10, with no "serious" glassing attacks, resulting in eye surgery.

Humberside Police first called for drinking spots to use plastic alternatives in August 2007 after reveller Laurie Baxter, of west Hull, was left blinded in one eye following an unprovoked glassing attack.

Chief Constable Tim Hollis ordered a campaign to see glass replaced with a less dangerous material.

By December 2007, Magma bar had become the first in Hull to go glass-free.

In May 2008, plastic glasses were rolled out across the city.

Police delivered 48,000 unbreakable glasses to 64 venues across Hull city centre, Holderness Road and Beverley Road.

Dame Wheatcroft, assistant manager at Courts Bar in Bowalley Lane, Hull, said: "The plastic glasses are a good idea. It's good news to hear glassings are down.

"We introduced them because the police asked us to and have four boxes of the pint glasses and two boxes of the half-pint glasses.

"We make sure they are used during football games in case there are any fights.

"Because of the publicity at the time we didn't get any complaints for using them from customers. If anything, we were complimented.

"We looked at using plastic bottles, but it is too expensive."

In addition to medical costs, each attack is said to cost the criminal justice system £202,500 in policing and court fees.

This figure does not include compensation costs to victims of glassings.

PC Gordon Underwood, of Humberside Police's licensing team, said: "We show a 52 per cent reduction in glassing injuries in the city centre since their introduction, which is falling each year with the introduction of more polycarbonates at more venues.

"The scheme has been a great success. It has prevented people being seriously injured and saved millions of pounds.

"We urge licensees to use polycarbonate glasses."

Humberside Police have now drawn up a series of posters highlighting the success of the campaign, which will be displayed at city centre sites.

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