Woman’s tooth gives her sight back

[CVX]

A woman who has been blind since her teens has seen her children and grandchildren for the first time thanks to her teeth. Judith Smith, 42, had a tiny shard of her tooth implanted in her eye during a seven and a half-hour operation at Sussex Eye Hospital, Brighton.

She had lost her sight after suffering a rare reaction to medication for epilepsy at the age of 15, says the Daily Telegraph.

Christopher Liu, a surgeon at the hospital, performed the operation a week ago using a piece from the root of a tooth to reinforce the damaged optical tube.

Mrs Smith’s eyelids were permanently sealed to prevent infection and she can see only through a hole in the right lid. But within hours she was able to view light, shades, colours and shapes for the first time in 27 years.

Mrs Smith, of Redcar, Teesside, said: “The most wonderful thing was seeing my family for the first time. I have four beautiful grandchildren and I can now appreciate that. I can’t really put it into words what I feel. It is amazing.”

[Warsai]

Originally Posted by CVX

A woman who has been blind since her teens has seen her children and grandchildren for the first time thanks to her teeth. Judith Smith, 42, had a tiny shard of her tooth implanted in her eye during a seven and a half-hour operation at Sussex Eye Hospital, Brighton.

She had lost her sight after suffering a rare reaction to medication for epilepsy at the age of 15, says the Daily Telegraph.

Christopher Liu, a surgeon at the hospital, performed the operation a week ago using a piece from the root of a tooth to reinforce the damaged optical tube.

Mrs Smith’s eyelids were permanently sealed to prevent infection and she can see only through a hole in the right lid. But within hours she was able to view light, shades, colours and shapes for the first time in 27 years.

Mrs Smith, of Redcar, Teesside, said: “The most wonderful thing was seeing my family for the first time. I have four beautiful grandchildren and I can now appreciate that. I can’t really put it into words what I feel. It is amazing.”

That's amazing. But I don't get it, how can a piece of a tooth make you see?

[Bill Sikes]

Originally Posted by Warsai

That's amazing. But I don't get it, how can a piece of a tooth make you see?

Erm, "a tooth for an eye and an eye for a tooth" [ Shorely shome mishtake? Ed].

[plazul]

Originally Posted by Warsai

That's amazing. But I don't get it, how can a piece of a tooth make you see?

I'm guessing that stem cells from the tooth regenerated to repair her damaged optic nerve.

[anastrophe]

that's a downright weird story. what is 'the optical tube'? it's not in any medical anatomy i'm familiar with. perhaps it's a coloquiallism. and why woudl they seal her eyelids "permanently" to prevent infection, then punch a hole in one of them for her to see through.


i don't get it.