Canadian Surgeons Perform Nation's First 'Tooth-in-Eye' Vision Restoration Procedure

Three patients with severe corneal blindness undergo the initial phase of a groundbreaking surgery using their own teeth to restore sight.

Osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis, or 'tooth-in-eye' surgery, uses a patient’s tooth to anchor a plastic lens for vision restoration.
The procedure involves implanting a modified tooth in the patient’s cheek for three months to develop tissue and blood supply before transferring it to the eye.
Three Canadian patients, including Brent Chapman, are the first in the country to undergo this surgery for severe corneal blindness caused by scarring.
The technique, pioneered in the 1960s, has a high success rate, with a 2022 study showing 94% of patients retaining vision up to 27 years post-surgery.
This approach minimizes rejection risks by using the patient’s own biological material and is only performed on one eye due to its complexity.