Canadian Man Regains Sight After Pioneering Tooth-in-Eye Surgery
North Vancouver, Canada – A groundbreaking medical procedure has restored partial vision to Brent Chapman, a 34-year-old Canadian who lost his sight at age 13 due to a rare allergic reaction. The innovative tooth-in-eye surgery, performed by Dr. Greg Moloney at Providence Health Care’s Mount Saint Joseph Hospital in Vancouver, marks a significant milestone in treating severe corneal blindness.
The procedure, formally known as osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis (OOKP), uses a patient’s own tooth to anchor a prosthetic lens. For people with untreatable corneal damage, this technique offers new hope.
What Is Tooth-in-Eye Surgery?
Osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis (OOKP) was pioneered in 1963 by Italian ophthalmologist Benedetto Strampelli. His method used a patient’s tooth root and surrounding alveolar bone to support a PMMA optical cylinder, which was then wrapped in oral mucosa and secured to the eye. This design ensured protection, vascular support, and long-term retention.
Modern OOKP is reserved for patients with end-stage corneal blindness who cannot benefit from standard corneal transplantation.
Who Is Brent Chapman?
Chapman lost his sight as a teenager after a severe reaction to ibuprofen triggered Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare autoimmune condition that damages the skin and mucous membranes, including the eyes. Despite undergoing numerous eye surgeries and failed corneal transplants, his vision could not be restored until OOKP.
In 2025, he became one of Canada’s first OOKP recipients. Following surgery, his right eye achieved 20/30–20/40 vision.
“I feel fantastic,” Chapman said while speaking about the results of his surgery to WABC, adding, “Vision comes back, and it’s a whole new world.”
How Does the Procedure Work?
The OOKP surgery leverages the tooth’s dentin and bone, the hardest human tissues, to create a stable platform for the lens. Dr. Moloney explains, “It’s like planting a cactus in the desert,” contrasting it with failed corneal transplants, akin to “planting a flower in a desert” (CBC News, 2025). The tooth’s integration into the body prevents rejection, a common issue with synthetic corneas: "In contrast, the use of fully autologous tissue allowed for stable, long-term integration."
Stage One (February 2025): Chapman’s upper canine tooth was extracted, shaped, and fitted with a lens, then placed in his cheek for vascular integration.
Stage Two (June 2025): The tooth-lens structure was implanted into his right eye, stitched to the ocular surface to restore a clear optical pathway.
Why Is This Surgery Significant?
The OOKP procedure offers a lifeline for those with corneal blindness untreatable by conventional means: "Diseases affecting the cornea are some of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, impacting people in both developed and developing nations." Its success hinges on:
High Retention Rates: "Long-term data demonstrate consistent visual rehabilitation and prosthesis retention across diverse populations in Europe, Asia, and South America."
Long-Term Vision: "Advancements have improved tissue integration and reduced complications like graft resorption and secondary glaucoma."
Global Rarity: Only a few centers, like the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in the U.S., perform OOKP, with Canada’s first cases in 2025 marking a regional milestone (Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, 2024).
(Rh/Eth/VK)
