Blind Canadian Man (33) May Regain Sight After 20 Years Through Surprising Solution: His Own Tooth

vancouver - A blind Canadian man may regain his sight by using his own tooth in a rare surgical procedure.

Groundbreaking Surgery Using Patient's Tooth

A blind Canadian man, Chapman, is on the verge of possibly restoring his vision after two decades through a groundbreaking surgical procedure involving his own tooth. Dr. Greg Maloney, an ophthalmologist and surgeon at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital in Vancouver, explains that the procedure is a rarity even among eye surgeons.

The two-part operation involves first extracting one of Chapman's teeth, flattening it, and fitting it with a plastic lens. The prepared tooth is then implanted in Chapman's cheek for three months to heal and develop supporting tissue.

In the second surgery, the tooth is removed from the cheek and placed in Chapman's eye, replacing the damaged iris and lens. The transplant from his cheek is sewn over the eye, leaving a small hole for the lens.

Chapman has undergone fifty operations over the past twenty years to restore his vision, which was damaged by a rare autoimmune reaction triggered by ibuprofen he took after a basketball game at the age of thirteen. He expresses hope that this will be his final operation.

Despite temporary partial vision restoration from previous surgeries, the regained sight always faded away. Chapman shared with CBC his mixed feelings, stating the emotional impact of regaining and losing his sight repeatedly.

While the procedure carries risks, it boasts a high success rate elsewhere, with 94% of patients still having vision after 27 years. Chapman aspires to regain his sight, pursue his dreams of playing basketball again, and traveling the world.