Is it true that is the movie at first sight based on a true story based on the following text?

Shirley ''Shirl'' Jennings (1940 -- October 26, 2003) was one of only a few people in the world to regain his sight after lifelong blindness and was the inspiration for the character of Virgil Adamson in the movie At First Sight (1999) starring Val Kilmer and Mira Sorvino.
yes