Top Russian ballet star Sergei Filin has been left almost blind by a vicious acid attack, despite undergoing 18 operations to save his sight.

The artistic director of the famed Bolshoi Theatre suffered third degree burns when the corrosive substance was thrown in his face by an unidentified assailant in Moscow in January (13).

He has been receiving medical treatment from top doctors in Germany and is preparing to undergo his 19th surgery - but the chances of restoring his eyesight appear to be very slim.

Theatre representative Katerina Novikova says, "I spoke with Sergei three days ago, and Sergei said the situation is such that he cannot see out of one eye at all, and he can see 10 per cent out of the other eye."

Despite his disability, Filin is determined to continue working with the Bolshoi and is hoping to return in the coming months to oversee the programme for the theatre's 2013-2014 season, which was unveiled during a press conference in Russia on Thursday (20Jun13).

Bolshoi dancer Pavel Dmitrichenko was arrested by police, alongside two other suspects, earlier this year (13) after confessing to organising the attack, while theatre bosses have decided not to renew principal dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze's contract after 21 years after he was questioned in connection to the highly-publicised incident. He has denied any involvement in the crime.