Tooth-in-Eye Surgery in Vancouver: A Remarkable Step Forward

Recently, a highly specialized and rarely performed procedure—oste o-odonto-keratoprosthesis (OOKP), more commonly known as “tooth-in-eye” surgery—has been brought to Vancouver, BC. This represents a significant milestone not only for our local medical community, but also for ophthalmology across the Americas. Led by Dr. Greg Moloney, this marks the first time this procedure has been performed anywhere in the Americas, an achievement that deserves recognition.

OOKP is a complex, multi-stage surgical procedure designed to restore vision in patients with severe corneal blindness, particularly in cases where conventional corneal transplants are no longer viable. The process itself is as unique as it is technically demanding. It involves removing a patient’s own tooth—typically a canine—shaping it into a small structural support for an optical lens, and ultimately implanting this into the eye to function as an artificial cornea. It is reserved for end-stage ocular surface disease, where essentially all other treatment options have failed.

This is not a routine procedure. OOKP requires coordination across multiple specialties, including ophthalmology, maxillofacial surgery, and restorative dentistry, and is performed in staged surgeries over several months. Patient selection is critical, and long-term follow-up is essential. For these reasons, it is only performed in a handful of centers worldwide. Bringing this level of care to Vancouver is, in itself, a major advancement.

What makes this effort even more noteworthy is that it is being done without dedicated funding, and instead made possible through fundraising efforts. Introducing a procedure of this complexity requires not only surgical expertise, but also significant time, coordination, and personal commitment. Support from myself, alongside Ginny Richards—wife of the world-renowned corneal specialist Dr. John Richards, was part of the process. Many individuals in our eye care community helped to bring this to fruition.

For patients with otherwise untreatable blindness, OOKP offers something that was previously out of reach—the possibility of functional vision. Its arrival in Vancouver expands access to highly specialized care, positions the region as a leader in advanced ophthalmic surgery, and reflects a broader commitment to innovation in patient care.

OOKP is not a common procedure, nor is it intended to be. It exists for a very specific group of patients with severe disease. But its introduction here marks an important moment: a first in the Americas, a highly complex surgery brought forward without traditional funding, and a clear example of what can be achieved through clinical dedication, collaboration, and innovation.

It has been just over a year since the first OOKP procedures were performed in Vancouver. To date, seven Canadians who were previously blind have had their vision restored. We are now counting on the Province to provide funding for these surgeries moving forward. While OOKP is new to BC, Canada, North America, and the Americas, it has been performed successfully in other parts of the world for decades. It is not an experimental procedure, and it should be accessible to all Canadians living with forms of blindness where it has the potential to restore vision.

Thank you to Dr. Moloney for the hard work, persistence, and raw talent required to make something like this possible.