First Eye Transplant Performed In New York On 46-Year-Old Military Veteran

Although the man’s sight has not yet been regained, the team injected stem cells harvested from the donor’s bone marrow into the damaged optic nerve during the 21-hour operation.

NEW YORK - The world’s first eye transplant from a donor was performed in New York on a 46-year-old military veteran from Arkansas during a partial face transplant after the man was electrocuted by a 7,200-volt live wire working for a power company in June of 2021.

Although the man’s sight has not yet been regained, the team injected stem cells harvested from the donor’s bone marrow into the damaged optic nerve during the 21-hour operation, splicing the donating optic nerve with what was left of the man’s original nerve to try to aid in repairing the damage with new healthy cells.

Indications Optic Nerve May Be Receiving Signals, But Surgery Done For Cosmetic Reasons