The procedure is highly complex, performed in two stages and requiring a team of 15 specialists from radiology, dental and eye. It is currently only performed in Singapore, India and Japan.

“We have successfully restored vision to the most severe cases of patients who had been blinded in accidents and chemical burns. Some suffered from Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), while others have had multiple corneal graft failures. In all our cases, maximal visual potential has been achieved,” says Professor Donald Tan, Head of Corneal Service and Director at SNEC.

SJS is a rare but life-threatening condition in which blisters forms on the skin, mouth and eyes, causing complications such as dehydration, infection, blindness and even death. SJS is often caused by a serious adverse reaction to common medications such as ibuprofen, antibiotics and anti-seizure durgs.

In the first phase of surgery, “First, the eye is opened up and the entire inner surface of the eyelids, cornea and scar tissues are removed. We then transplant the inner mucosal lining of the cheek onto the new eye surface. Next, we remove a canine tooth and some of the adjacent bone from the patient. We shave this down, drill a hole then fit it with an artificial cornea made of a medical-grade plastic optical cylinder. After this, we implant it into the patient’s cheek to grow a new blood supply,” he says.

Two months later, “We open the cheek mucosal lining over the eye, remove the tooth-bone-cylinder from the cheek and insert this into the cornea.”

Since all the “hardware” – tissue, bone and tooth – are taken from the patient, there is no issue of rejection whatsoever. After the final surgery, light is able to enter through the plastic cylinder, and patients will be able to regain good vision, Tan says. “Over half of our patients achieve 20/20 vision, three-quarters regain at least driving vision of 20/40, and the rest have reached their best visual potential.”

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › New procedure restores sight to those blinded by SJS

Kazuyuki Ogura of Kawasaki was a victim of a serious side effect from common over-the-counter medicines. Weeks after the 37-year-old man took cold medicine for a day, he came down with a high fever, rash and bloodshot eyes. He was diagnosed with Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS). Ogura survived this potentially deadly but rare reaction to medication, but it was a year and a half before he was able to return to work. His vision is still not up to par. “No one had ever told me that over-the-counter drugs carried such risks, “ he told the newspaper.

Those who oppose the restrictions – the Japan Online Drugstore Association (JODA), Rakuten and Yahoo – have petitioned the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare to stop the proceedings. JODA and the Internet giants argue that stricter online regulations will crush the 26-billion-yen online and mail-order drugstore market. The revised law will ban “class 3” drugs that include some cold medications and painkillers. Opponents say that this ban will prevent people from also purchasing products they would be embarrassed to buy at stores, such as baldness remedies and pregnancy tests.

The Japanese Pharmaceutical Association, the Japan Association of Chain Drug Stores (JACDS), and the Cabinet’s Council for the Promotion of Regulatory Reform support the stricter regulations, citing the inability of online drug stores to guarantee the safety of their drugs.

SOURCE: Stevens Johnson Syndrome › Revised Japanese law limits online purchases of drugs