skip to contentAdvertisementOver the past two decades, Chapman underwent repeated cornea transplants, hoping to restore his vision.September 16, 2025 01:19 AM IST First published on: Sep 16, 2025 at 01:11 AM ISTJoinShare ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookBrent Chapman, 34, developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome at the age of 13 after a severe reaction to ibuprofen. (Photo: X/@TODAYshow)A Canadian man who lost his vision as a teenager has regained sight in one eye after undergoing a rare procedure that uses a tooth to support an artificial lens, CNN reported.Brent Chapman, 34, developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome at the age of 13 after a severe reaction to ibuprofen. The condition caused burns across his body and left him blind in one eye and nearly blind in the other.‘I’ve had close to 50 surgeries‘Over the past two decades, Chapman underwent repeated cornea transplants, hoping to restore his vision.“For the last 20 years, I’ve been having close to 50 surgeries trying to save this eye,” he told CNN. “We would put a new cornea in. It would last sometimes just a few months or even up to years, but it would never heal.” By last year, doctors had run out of options.‘It’s like watching people come out of a time capsule’In February, Dr Greg Moloney, a corneal surgeon at the University of British Columbia, tried a different approach: osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis, also called “tooth-in-eye” surgery.The procedure involves removing a canine tooth, embedding it with a plastic optical cylinder, and implanting it in the cheek for several months so tissue can grow around it. The tooth-lens complex is then surgically attached to the eye, replacing the damaged cornea.Moloney said the surgery is rare and used only when other methods fail. “It’s like watching people come out of a time capsule and reintroduce themselves to the world,” he told CNN. “It’s highly emotional for us.”‘I haven’t made eye contact in 20 years’Chapman’s final operation took place in August. With glasses, he now has 20/30 vision in his right eye.The first thing he saw was the city skyline from his doctor’s office. “Dr Moloney and I made eye contact for the first time, and we both got quite emotional,” he said. “I haven’t really made eye contact in 20 years.”Chapman said he looks forward to working again as a massage therapist after years of medical leave. He also hopes to travel, with Japan at the top of his list.“Before, I was always afraid to plan because I never knew when I’d need emergency surgery,” he said. “This opened a new door for me and a new chapter in my life.”His favourite sight so far has been his young niece and nephew. “They’re just so cute and so much fun,” he said.Dr Moloney said Chapman’s case highlights how long-term blindness can be reversed in selected patients. “We’ve been with him since he was a teenage boy,” he said. “He’s waited till he’s 34 to get that. We’ve all waited a long time.”AdvertisementAdvertisementYou May Like