A UAE resident from Pakistan has almost completely recovered after doctors used 3D-printing technology to reconstruct his eye socket.
Sultan Abdul Majeed, a restaurant owner in Ras Al Khaimah, was involved in a heated argument with a customer in February during which he received a punch to his eye.
After the incident, Mr Majeed was left with double vision and unable to open his left eye or look up.
A CT scan showed that more than 50 per cent of the bones under his eye socket were fractured.
Doctors told him in March that he would need some facial reconstruction.
The matter is still being dealt with by the local courts.
“On the spot, I did not understand what had happened to me and did not have a lot of pain initially but later had bleeding and started vomiting,” Mr Majeed told The National.
“When I tried to open my eyes, I would vomit and had double vision.
“I had to be transferred to the specialised hospital where they said they would use this new technology to make my eye socket.”
Specialist facial surgeons at Umm Al Quwain Specialised Dental Centre used medical 3D-printing technology to reconstruct a bony fracture on the bottom of his left eye socket.
Before performing the procedure in March this year, surgeon Doctor Mohamed Farid Abdelwahed designed and 3D printed a model of Mr Majeed's left eye socket by reconstructing a metal mesh.
Mr Majeed said the surgery was not painful and has helped him to recover his vision.
The double vision almost completely disappeared post-surgery in March.
He said he still struggles a little when looking up.
“Now, I am almost completely back to normal though there is a lingering sensation in my eye, like a kind of swelling,” he said.
“I would say my eye is almost 85 per cent better now.
“I am glad I am not in pain and the doctors were able to use this technology.
“This is a very good thing. I don’t know what would have happened if this technology had not existed.”
The dental centre said it has used 3D-printing technology since 2021 to treat a variety of surgical cases, including dental implants and jaw and eye socket fractures.
