A revolutionary medical procedure is giving new hope to blind patients—by using human teeth as eye implants! In a groundbreaking surgery performed at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital in Vancouver, Canada, doctors have successfully restored vision using a tooth-based implant. This cutting-edge technique aims to help those suffering from severe corneal blindness, opening the door to a potential cure. With three patients already undergoing the procedure, could this be the future of blindness treatment? Here’s everything you need to know!
Breakthrough in Blindness Treatment: Doctors Use Human Teeth as Eye Implants
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For the first time in Canada, surgeons have successfully completed the first stage of an operation aimed at restoring vision to people with severe blindness by implanting a tooth in their eye.
This procedure, known as 'tooth-in-eye' surgery, was performed at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital in Vancouver on three patients suffering from corneal blindness. Before diving into the details, let’s recall what the cornea is. The cornea is the transparent layer at the front of the eye that allows light to enter. In individuals with corneal blindness, this layer becomes filled with scar tissue, losing its transparency and impairing vision.
The tooth-in-eye surgery aims to solve this problem in two stages.
The first stage involves removing the damaged cornea and scar tissue and replacing it with tissue from the patient’s cheek. During this stage, the implant is also prepared. A tooth is extracted from the patient, then carved into a rectangular shape with a hole drilled in the center to hold an optical lens. This tooth is then placed inside the patient’s cheek and left there for about three months. During this time, new tissue develops around the tooth, and blood circulation begins.
In the next stage, surgeons remove the tooth from the cheek and place it in the eye.
The plastic lens allows light to pass through, restoring the patient’s vision. Dr. Greg Moloney explained to the Vancouver Sun, 'This is like replacing a completely frosted-up windshield in a car.'
Implanting a tooth in someone’s eye might seem strange, but it’s actually a logical method.
Teeth are extremely durable, and since the patient’s own tooth is used, the implant has a higher chance of long-term success. Speaking on CBC Radio’s As It Happens program, Moloney acknowledged that the procedure is not entirely risk-free but reassured, “There is no risk of rejection because we are using a part of the patient’s own body.”