Surgeons said they had been “truly amazed” by the 47-year-old’s recovery and said the “whole thing has been a monumental achievement” after he lost most of his face in an accident three years ago.
An army veteran who received the world’s first whole-eye transplant has said he has been given “the gift of a second chance”.
Aaron James, 47, from Arkansas in the US, lost his left eye and most of his face after an electrical cable touched the left side three years ago.
He also lost his left arm in the accident and now wears a prosthetic.
In May 2023, he underwent 21 hours of surgery involving more than 140 healthcare professionals to replace his face – which included receiving a new eye and has been hailed by doctors as a “monumental achievement”.
More than a year later, his donor eye continues to maintain normal pressure and blood flow – despite surgeries on animals showing a different outcome where the eye often shrank significantly, doctors said.
Mr James said: “This has been the most transformative year of my life.
“I’ve been given the gift of a second chance, and I don’t take a single moment for granted.”
Dr Eduardo Rodriguez, chair of the Hansjorg Wyss Department Of Plastic Surgery at NYU Langone Health in the US, said: “We are truly amazed by Aaron’s recovery, with no episodes of rejection.”
Dr Daniel Ceradini added: “The whole thing has been a monumental achievement, considering how Aaron has done post operatively and how good he functions and looks.”