Unique Surgical Procedure Restores Vision for Canadian Man

There’s an age-old saying, “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” But for Canadian Brent Chapman, his takeaway is a bit different: “a tooth for an eye.” He’s made history as the first person in Canada to receive an osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis.

In simpler terms, this means that Brent’s own tooth has been surgically placed in his eye as a lens, allowing him to see again. It’s quite a remarkable solution, though it’s often viewed as a last resort. After undergoing 50 surgical procedures, this was where he found himself, alongside Dr. Greg Moloney, his devoted ophthalmological surgeon, who has been operating on him since he was a teenager.

At 34 years old, Brent’s vision problems began when he was just 13. A rare reaction to ibuprofen resulted in significant burns on his cornea. The cornea is crucial—protecting the eye while letting light in for vision. Unfortunately, the burns left his right eye permanently impaired, while an infection took away his left eye entirely.

The tooth-in-eye surgery is extremely uncommon—so uncommon that it’s the very first of its kind performed in Canada, despite being developed in the 1960s. Dr. Moloney mentioned that this option is generally pursued when all other alternatives have been exhausted or when the initial corneal damage is too severe for standard treatments to be effective.

Brent’s tooth was chosen for its strength; it’s the hardest material the body produces. A small hole was drilled into his canine tooth where a sophisticated lens was inserted. Then, the tooth was affixed to his cheek, and a channel to the retina was created, ensuring that light could enter the lens effectively.

With the help of glasses, Brent now has about 20/30 vision, meaning he can see what someone with perfect vision can at 30 feet while standing at 20.

Dr. Moloney shared his insights with CNN about the emotional nature of the procedure and its effects on patients. He noted, “The tooth is a really ideal structure for holding a focusing element in place… It’s like watching people come out of a time capsule and reintroduce themselves to the world.”

Brent resonates with that sentiment. Gazing out at Vancouver from Dr. Moloney’s office, he expressed how surreal it was to see the city and recognize the intersections of life around him. “It’s really indescribable,” he remarked.

He reflected on how being blind or having low vision can isolate someone in their own thoughts, leading to mental strain. The moment he made eye contact with Dr. Moloney after 20 years was particularly moving for both of them.

Brent is eager to reconnect with his niece and nephew, who are four and two years old, and to return to his work as a massage therapist. Helping others manage their pain feels like a way to give back after everything he’s been through.

Looking forward, he’s excited about traveling to Japan and no longer worrying about plans falling apart due to his vision issues. “It was so unpredictable,” he shared, acknowledging how disheartening it was to cancel plans because of his sight.