Son's Tooth Helps Blind Man See

by Andrew Clayman
02/29/08

We already know that scientists have discovered ways to help lost teeth grow back. But is it possible that those lost teeth could, in turn, help people overcome blindness?

If it seems like a far-fetched, or even downright confusing concept, you probably missed the incredible story of Bob McNichol, a legally blind Irishman who recently underwent successful surgery to repair his vision with the aid of his son's tooth!

McNichol, 57, lost his sight two years ago after an explosion at a recycling plant. Doctors told him he would never see again, but McNichol wasn't ready to give up just yet. He had heard about an unusual, “miracle” procedure known as Osteo-Odonto-Keratoprosthesis (OOKP), which had been developed in Italy in the 1960s. The operation uses a removed tooth, along with its root and surrounding bone, to construct a support for an artificial cornea. As eye procedures go, OOKP is still considered quite radical, but McNichol found a doctor willing to perform the operation in Brighton, England, and decided to roll the dice.

Rather than using one of McNichol's own teeth, doctors removed a healthy tooth from his 23 year-old son, Robert (don't worry, he offered the tooth voluntarily). A hole was drilled into the tooth to make room for a lens, and the tooth was inserted into McNichol's right eye socket as a part of its complex reconstruction. After 15 hours of surgery, the results were in. McNichol had regained enough vision to move about independently, and even watch television!

The amazing success of McNichol's operation will surely inspire more interest in the OOKP operation, but doctors warn stories like McNichol's are very rare. Nonetheless, it's a tale that serves as a testament to the boundless potential that exists in just one little tooth. It's a wonder that the Tooth Fairy doesn't pay more!

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