Canada recently performed a surgery called “osteo-odonto keratoprosthesis” (OOKP) for the first time, successfully helping three patients restore their vision. The surgery, which had been performed seven times in Australia and was successful, is intended to provide new hope for blind patients. Brent Chapman, a 33-year-old massage therapist, is one of the patients who underwent the surgery. After the first stage of the surgery, he is expected to see the light again after more than 20 years of darkness.
According to CBC, the steps of the operation include removing the patient’s canine teeth, usually installing an optical lens in them, and then connecting the entire device to the eyeball. Dr. Greg Moloney, an ophthalmic surgeon at Mount St. Joseph Hospital in Vancouver, said that teeth were chosen as the material because it is the strongest substance in the human body and can provide an ideal connection point between the optical lens and the eyeball. In addition, using the patient’s own teeth reduces the risks of the operation.
Dr. Moloney has successfully performed seven such operations in Australia before. This year he was invited to Canada to perform the operation. He stressed that the surgery is not suitable for all vision problems, but is specifically for severe blindness caused by immune system diseases, chemical burns or other trauma.
The surgery has been performed for many years in 10 countries including the UK and Australia with a high success rate. In 2022, an Italian study found that 94% of patients who underwent the surgery still maintained their vision 27 years later.
Brent Chapman has been blind since the age of 13 and has undergone about 50 operations, including 10 eye transplants, but eventually lost his vision. When the doctor first introduced him to this seemingly sci-fi operation, he hesitated. But after talking to an Australian woman who successfully underwent the operation, he decided to try it.
Chapman said the operation gave him hope and he began to dream of playing basketball and traveling again. Because the operation is very complicated and needs to be performed in two stages, he has completed the first stage and will be strictly monitored next. His teeth will be officially started during the second stage of the operation.
