A team of doctors from the Molinette Hospital in Turin performed the world's first macula transplant, restoring the vision of a 67-year-old patient.

A team of doctors from the Molinette Hospital in Turin has achieved a premiere in ophthalmology, performing the world's first macular transplant, which restored the vision of a 67-year-old patient, Elena.

She had completely lost her vision following a serious road accident that occurred five years ago. In the left eye, the patient suffered from irreversible optic nerve damage, while the right eye was affected by severe maculopathy, making a conventional corneal transplant impossible. The intervention, coordinated by Professor Michele Reibaldi, involved the removal of an anatomical block from the left eye, including the cornea, sclera, conjunctiva, and, for the first time, the macula.

These structures were transplanted into the right eye, in a complex procedure lasting nearly six hours. Professor Reibaldi stated that the initial results are encouraging, but specialist Michel Paques emphasized the need for caution until the scientific data is published for an objective assessment of the technique.