A 75-year-old woman from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, has regained her sight after a decade of blindness thanks to a groundbreaking dental implant procedure.
Ten years ago, Gail Lane lost her sight due to corneal damage caused by medication side effects. In February and May of this year, she underwent Osteo-Keratoplasty (OOKP) surgery at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Vancouver.
At first, Lane could only perceive light, but over time, she began to discern colors and shapes. “Now I can go out and see the beautiful blue sky and leaves again. It feels like a miracle,” she said.
OOKP, also known as oculo-dental implant surgery, is a highly complex procedure developed in Italy in the 1960s.
It is considered a last resort for patients whose vision cannot be restored with traditional corneal transplants. Due to its complexity, only a few medical centers worldwide perform the procedure.
The procedure consists of two main stages: extraction and growth, and ocular implantation. First, the canine teeth and part of the jawbone are removed and reshaped.
An artificial cornea is then implanted, forming a “tooth-eye complex” and temporarily placed in the patient’s cheek to allow blood vessels and connective tissue to grow over approximately three months. Afterward, the damaged cornea, iris, and lens are removed, and a dental implant is placed in the eye.
Reports indicate that patients who undergo OOKP have a 94% chance of retaining vision, with some maintaining vision even 27 years after surgery.
Dr. Greg Moloney, who performed Lane’s surgery, commented, “While this is a complex and unusual procedure, it essentially replaces the cornea.
Although Gail is older than the average patient undergoing this procedure, her recovery has exceeded expectations.”
