Doctors Restore Vision in Unique Tooth-Implant Surgery
A remarkable surgical procedure has restored vision for a 34-year-old man in British Columbia, Canada, by using his own tooth as part of an innovative eye treatment. Brent Chapman, who suffered significant eye damage from a rare autoimmune reaction known as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, lost most of his vision over two decades due to multiple unsuccessful surgeries. The recent operation, termed osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis, has provided Chapman with a new lease on sight.
Chapman’s medical history is complex. When he was just 13 years old, he experienced a severe autoimmune response to a normal dose of ibuprofen, leading to extensive injuries, particularly on the surfaces of his eyes. His left cornea was destroyed due to an infection, while the right eye suffered significant corneal damage, leaving him with minimal vision. Despite undergoing over 50 surgeries, including multiple attempts at corneal implants, none were able to restore his sight permanently.
In February 2025, a team of doctors led by Dr. Greg Moloney, a clinical associate professor of ophthalmology at the University of British Columbia, proposed the rare tooth-in-eye surgery. This technique, which involves extracting one of the patient’s teeth and implanting it into the eye, has been practiced since the 1960s but had never been performed in Canada until now.
The procedure begins with the removal of a canine tooth along with a thin layer of surrounding bone to maintain blood supply. The tooth is then modified and implanted in the patient’s cheek for several months to allow tissue growth. After this initial phase, the tooth is surgically placed in the eye socket to serve as a platform for a transparent lens, effectively replacing the injured cornea.
Chapman underwent the first stage of this complex surgery in February 2025. In June, the tooth was implanted into his right eye. The body’s acceptance of the tooth is enhanced since it comes from the patient themselves. Remarkably, Chapman was able to perceive movement shortly after the surgery, with his vision gradually improving over the following month. Although he experienced some distortion, a subsequent surgery in August corrected the lens placement. By the end of that month, tests indicated that Chapman had achieved 20/30 vision, meaning he could see objects at 20 feet that a person with perfect vision would see at 30 feet.
Tooth-in-eye surgery is considered a last resort for individuals with corneal damage and is not commonly performed due to its complexity. The entire operation takes over 12 hours, excluding the healing time for tissue growth. There are only a few specialists globally who are trained to perform this intricate procedure, which has been conducted in countries including Australia, Germany, India, and the United States.
Chapman’s case highlights the potential of innovative surgical techniques in restoring vision to those with severe eye damage. With only a few hundred patients having undergone this surgery worldwide, the success of his operation may pave the way for future treatments in similar cases. This extraordinary achievement not only reflects the advancements in ophthalmology but also offers hope to others facing blindness due to corneal injuries.
