A US Army veteran has made significant progress a year after receiving the world’s first complete human eye transplant, According to recent reports from researchers at New York University and reported by the BBC News.
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Aaron James, 46, who also received a partial face transplant, suffered the majority loss of his face in an accident in 2021 while working as a power line installer.
The innovative surgical intervention has shown remarkable results, with the transplanted eye maintaining normal pressure and blood flow, as well as its size, which is a significant achievement compared to the shrinkage frequently observed in animal eye transplants, according to the published study.
Ophthalmologist Vaidehi Dedania expressed her amazement at James’ recovery. “The results we are seeing are surprising and could open up new possibilities for clinical protocols and encourage further research into complex transplants of critical sensory organs.”Dedania commented.
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Surgery
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Although James has not yet regained vision in the transplanted eye, Researchers are optimistic that he will regain his sight over time.Electroretinography, a test that measures the retina’s electrical response to light, has shown that the donor eye’s rods and cones, as well as light-sensitive nerve cells, have survived the transplant.
“This electrical response converts light into signals that could be interpreted by the brain for vision, offering hope for future whole-eye transplants aimed at restoring sight.”the researchers noted.
Last May, James underwent a complex 21-hour surgery involving more than 140 medical professionalsThe transplanted face and eye came from a male donor in his 30s. During the operation, adult stem cells from the donor’s bone marrow were injected into the optic nerve to promote its repair.
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Surgery
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Researchers have highlighted several milestones achieved by James since surgery, including their ability to eat solid foods and regain their sense of smell. James, who is the 19th patient in the US to receive a face transplant and the first to receive a full eye transplant, has expressed his satisfaction with the results. “I’m back to being a normal man, doing normal things,” James said.
Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez, senior author of the study and director of the Facial Transplant Program at New York University, explained that researchers are now focused on using James’ case to understand how to restore vision in the transplanted eye. In the meantime, James is focused on sending his daughter Alice to college, reflecting on his experience. “It has been the most transformative year of my life,” He stated“I’ve been given the gift of a second chance, and I don’t take a single moment for granted.”
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