A blind man can see for the first time in more than 20 years after undergoing a rare “tooth-in-eye” surgery.
Brent Chapman, 34, of North Vancouver, Canada, lost his vision when he was 13 years old after experiencing an extremely rare allergic reaction to ibuprofen, known as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, per Today.com. The illness left him blind in both eyes, and he spent the next two decades seeking out treatments to restore his vision.
None of the treatments Chapman tried proved successful long-term, which is when he ultimately connected with Dr. Greg Moloney, an ophthalmologist at Providence Health Care’s Mount Saint Joseph Hospital in Vancouver.
Moloney suggested the rare “tooth-in-eye” procedure on Chapman’s right eye. The surgery — which was developed in the 1960s and has only been performed on several hundred people worldwide — entails multiple steps.
The patient’s tooth is pulled and then flattened, and a small hole is then drilled in the center. A prosthetic lens is fitted over the hole, and the tooth is ultimately placed at the front of the patient’s eye, where they can see through the new lens.
Moloney explained to Today.com that a tooth from the patient is used because it decreases the chances that the body will perceive the object as a foreign body and reject it.
“Usually, the reaction is shock and surprise and frank disbelief that it [the procedure] even exists,” Moloney told the outlet while discussing the treatment.
Chapman said that he, too, initially thought the procedure sounded like something out of a movie.
It kind of sounded a little science fictiony. I was like, ‘Who thought of this? Like, this is so crazy,’ ” he told Today.com
However, the results spoke for themselves. Chapman told the outlet that he was immediately able to perceive his hands moving in front of him when he woke up from the surgery, and had 20/40 or 20/30 vision in the eye after it had fully healed.
“I feel fantastic,” Chapman said while speaking about the results of his surgery to WABC, adding, “Vision comes back, and it’s a whole new world.
Chapman also told WABC that the moment he was first able to see Dr. Moloney was an emotional experience for them both.
When Dr. Moloney and I made eye contact, we both just burst into tears. I hadn't really made eye contact in 20 years," he recalled.
PEOPLE reached out to Mount Saint Joseph Hospital for comment on Saturday, Sept. 13, but did not receive an immediate response.
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Brent Chapman, 34, of North Vancouver, Canada, lost his vision when he was 13 years old after experiencing an extremely rare allergic reaction to ibuprofen, known as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, per Today.com. The illness left him blind in both eyes, and he spent the next two decades seeking out treatments to restore his vision.
None of the treatments Chapman tried proved successful long-term, which is when he ultimately connected with Dr. Greg Moloney, an ophthalmologist at Providence Health Care’s Mount Saint Joseph Hospital in Vancouver.
Moloney suggested the rare “tooth-in-eye” procedure on Chapman’s right eye. The surgery — which was developed in the 1960s and has only been performed on several hundred people worldwide — entails multiple steps.
The patient’s tooth is pulled and then flattened, and a small hole is then drilled in the center. A prosthetic lens is fitted over the hole, and the tooth is ultimately placed at the front of the patient’s eye, where they can see through the new lens.
Moloney explained to Today.com that a tooth from the patient is used because it decreases the chances that the body will perceive the object as a foreign body and reject it.
“Usually, the reaction is shock and surprise and frank disbelief that it [the procedure] even exists,” Moloney told the outlet while discussing the treatment.
Chapman said that he, too, initially thought the procedure sounded like something out of a movie.
It kind of sounded a little science fictiony. I was like, ‘Who thought of this? Like, this is so crazy,’ ” he told Today.com
However, the results spoke for themselves. Chapman told the outlet that he was immediately able to perceive his hands moving in front of him when he woke up from the surgery, and had 20/40 or 20/30 vision in the eye after it had fully healed.
“I feel fantastic,” Chapman said while speaking about the results of his surgery to WABC, adding, “Vision comes back, and it’s a whole new world.
Chapman also told WABC that the moment he was first able to see Dr. Moloney was an emotional experience for them both.
When Dr. Moloney and I made eye contact, we both just burst into tears. I hadn't really made eye contact in 20 years," he recalled.
PEOPLE reached out to Mount Saint Joseph Hospital for comment on Saturday, Sept. 13, but did not receive an immediate response.
Blind Man, 34, Can Now See After Having His Tooth Implanted in His Eye in 'Science Fictiony' Surgery
A formerly blind man in Canada can now see out of one eye after undergoing a rare 'tooth-in-eye' procedure. Brent Chapman, 34, lost his vision at 13 years old after experiencing a rare allergic reaction.
