U.S surgeons perform world’s first eye transplant

Surgeons in New York announced that they had performed the world’s first transplant of an entire eye in a procedure widely hailed as a medical breakthrough, although it is not certain that the recipient will actually regain his sight.

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The groundbreaking surgery involved removing part of the face and the whole left eye of a donor and grafting them onto a line worker from Arkansas who survived a 7,200-volt electric shock in June 2021, when his face touched a live wire.

Aaron James, 46, suffered extensive injuries including the loss of his left eye, his dominant left arm above the elbow, his nose and lips, front teeth, left cheek area and chin.

He was referred to NYU Langone Health, a leading medical center for facial transplants, which carried out the procedure on May 27.

Eduardo Rodriguez, led the 21-hour-surgery and made use of 3D cutting guides, which allowed surgeons to remove segments of bone from the donor and place them precisely in James.

“We always talk about a second chance at life, he’s been given a second chance.

“We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect patient,” he added.