Life-changing surgery uses teeth to treat corneal blindness
A patient’s sight has been restored following osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis, a procedure better known as tooth-in-eye surgery.
Although unusual and complex, the surgical technique has existed for over 60 years and has been shown to be successful, according to a news article from Today. Patients with corneal damage caused by injuries or an immune reaction who otherwise have intact optic nerves and retinas may be able to undergo tooth-in-eye surgery, which involves removing a tooth, placing a lens inside the tooth and implanting it inside the eye.
One such patient was left with blindness in one eye and a damaged cornea in the other following a severe reaction to ibuprofen and month-long coma at the age of 13. After years of failed corneal transplants, the patient underwent tooth-in-eye surgery using an upper canine to restore vision in one eye. Because the patient’s own tooth was used, the body didn’t reject the tissue, allowing it to create a bridge between the eye and artificial lens. Immediately following the procedure, the patient was able to detect motion, and after a couple of months, they achieved 20/40 or 20/30 vision.
Research has indicated that tooth-in-eye surgery can provide more than 90% of patients with a functional lens that can last up to 30 years.
Read more: Today
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