46-year-old Aaron James from Arkansas is the first person in the world to receive a whole eye transplant. James was severely injured in a high-voltage electrical accident in 2021, which resulted in the loss of half of his face, an eye, and part of his dominant arm. This year, in a pioneering 21-hour surgery at NYU Langone Hospital, he received a partial face transplant and a complete left eye from a single donor.
After the surgery, James was shown a mirror to see the results. "I'm going to give you this mirror, and then you're going to turn around, turn it around, go ahead and start flipping it, and we're going to hold it up and see what you think. Welcome to the new world," the medical team told him. James expressed his gratitude, saying he was "beyond words" thankful to the donor family. He remarked, "I have the utmost respect for them, to be able to make this decision to help someone they don't know."
It is not yet certain whether James will regain sight in the new eye, but surgeons are hopeful. They noted that the quality of the face transplant is remarkable. The eye is healthy, maintaining its pressure, and there is messaging at the retina, with possible connections to the brain. Dr. Rodriguez, one of the surgeons, stated, "I think we should cherish that moment and now we’re going to see what happens in the future."
Dr. Rodriguez also highlighted James’s selflessness, noting that the procedure involved connecting the optic nerve to the brain, which carried risks such as severe brain infections. Despite these risks, James focused on how he could help others, which is truly remarkable.
Although James cannot open his new eye yet, he is beginning to squint. He acknowledges that he has a long recovery ahead but describes the transplant as already life-changing. "Since the transplant, I can't walk past a mirror without looking at it," he shared. "It's really amazing. I stand up taller."
