A 67-year-old woman in Italy has regained sight in one eye following a pioneering surgical procedure that involved transplanting retinal tissue from her healthier, yet non-seeing, left eye to her damaged right eye. The patient, identified as Elena, had been left completely blind after a severe car accident.
The accident caused significant damage to Elena's left eye, specifically severing the optic nerve, which prevents the transmission of visual information to the brain. Although the other structures in her left eye remained intact, the optic nerve damage resulted in blindness in that eye. Her right eye had already been compromised by macular degeneration, and the trauma from the accident further damaged its retina and cornea.
Due to the extensive damage, a conventional corneal transplant was not a viable option, leaving Elena blind in both eyes for over five years. In a world-first, surgeons at the University Eye Clinic at Molinette Hospital in Turin, Italy, successfully performed a novel retinal transplant. Led by Professor Michele Reibaldi, the surgical team transplanted healthy tissue from Elena's left eye to her right eye.
The transplant included not only the cornea, sclera, and conjunctiva but, crucially, the central portion of the retina known as the macula. The macula is essential for sharp, detailed vision, including reading and facial recognition. This complex procedure, which lasted nearly six hours, has allowed Elena to regain vision in her right eye.
Professor Reibaldi described the surgery as a "very complex surgical marathon" and a "new frontier in ophthalmological surgery" because transplanting the central retinal area had not been possible before. While initial results are described as "encouraging," further monitoring will assess the long-term function of the transplanted retina. The surgical team emphasized the collaborative effort required for the procedure and highlighted the emotional reward of Elena being able to recognize her son and her guide dog, Joe, after the surgery.