Brent Chapman, 34, regained his sight two decades after being blinded by a rare medication reaction. At age 13, Chapman developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a condition caused by medications that, despite medical intervention, left him permanently blind.
Chapman’s vision was restored through a rare “tooth-eye” procedure performed by Dr. Greg Moloney, an ophthalmologist at Providence Healthcare’s St. Joseph’s Hospital in Vancouver.
Originally developed in the 1960s, the procedure involves extracting a tooth, shaping it, drilling a small hole to insert an artificial lens, and then placing it in front of the patient’s eye.
It is particularly useful for patients with severe damage to the back of the eye or cornea due to accidents, burns, chemical exposure, or trauma.
“This surgery is often unbelievable,” Dr. Moloney told TODAY, noting that many people are shocked when they first hear about it. “It sounded like science fiction… I thought, ‘Who came up with that? This is crazy.’”
The surgery was a resounding success for Chapman, who restored his vision to 20/40 or 20/30. Recalling the moment he regained his sight, Chapman said, “It was like a whole new world.
I could see again.” He also recalled reuniting with Dr. Moloney after the surgery, both of them moved to tears.
The surgery highlighted a rare and remarkable application of dental implants in ophthalmology, offering hope to patients with severe anterior eye damage.
