Life & Style | Health
Eye for an eye
Ocularists combine medical expertise with artistry in creating artificial acryllic eyes. Two specialists talk about the procedure.
- By Mehmudah Rahman, a Dubai-based freelancer
- Published: 23:37 January 8, 2009
Ocularists combine medical expertise with artistry in their highly specialised field of creating artificial acryllic eyes. Mehmudah Rahman talks to two specialists about the procedure of recreating an eye.
It is virtually impossible to tell that one of Hamza Gadallah's hazel brown eyes is man-made. They seem to sparkle while he talks about the experience of having an artificial eye fitted in to replace his original eye which was damaged in a work-related accident. "Ever since I spoke to the specialists, I was full of hope that they could help me," he says.
Gadallah was never seen without
a pair of dark glasses covering his eyes. His damaged eye had intense inflammation and the eyeball was stuck to the lid. It was painful and disturbing to look at.
Now, as he confidently strides into Moorfield's Eye Hospital Dubai in Dubai Healthcare City, (a branch of Moorfield's Eye Hospital in London), his eyes seem as authentic as the next person's at first glance.
Gadallah is one of many people who have an artificial eye. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and
the Detective Colombo are among many famous people who have an artificial eye. It is an intriguing procedure that has helped restore confidence to thousands of people who have lost an eye.
The procedure
This procedure entails removing the original eye (maimed due to trauma, disease or injury) and replacing it with an acrylic ball made by an ocularist. Once the socket has healed, it is fitted on top of the acrylic ball. This eye
is purely cosmetic and has the appearance of a shell when not fitted in the eye. It offers no vision and is, quite simply, like a big hand-painted contact lens.
At Moorfield's Eye Hospital, surgery is performed by Dr Andrea Sciscio, a fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. He is the Consultant Oculoplastic Surgeon at Moorfield's Eye Hospital. The artificial eye or eye prosthesis is created, painted and fitted by renowned ocularist Paul Geelen from Australia.
Unique surgery
The eyes are the focal point of the body. Nothing in the world can replace these cameras in our bodies. This is why, explains Dr Sciscio, patients go through major psychological turmoil when making the decision to remove their original eye, no matter how badly injured it may be, even though a cosmetic eye is a big improvement aesthetically. "It is extremely difficult for them to let go," says Dr Sciscio. "This is why a surgeon must establish a stable relationship with the patient and provide all the assurance and confidence he
or she needs."
Many people with a disfigured eye feel like social outcasts. They avoid going out and interacting with people. They lose confidence in their relationships and their work. The artificial eye gives them a fresh chance in life as they regain their confidence.
Risks involved
The risk of complication in this surgery is at about one per cent. Dr Sciscio believes it is a fairly risk-free surgery with a high rate of success but it does have the usual risks that all surgeries have. There can be bleeding and infection and the possibility of the extrusion of the orbital implant, meaning that the body may not adapt to a foreign object, but the chances of that happening are very low.
"Usually, the eye that is being removed has no or little vision, so there is virtually no risk of losing vision through this surgery," says Dr Sciscio. Another thing that requires extreme care is that the correct eye is removed. A couple of cases around the world have been reported wherein the wrong eye was removed, leading to disastrous consequences. So before any step is taken, the specialist must check his notes and make sure that the correct eye is being removed.
A subtle science
For 19 years, ocularist Paul Geelen has been manufacturing and fitting artificial eyes. His mother was also an ocularist and the interest proved to be genetic. He is a founding member of the Ocularists Association of Australia and operates under the association's Code of Ethics.
Creating an eye similar to the original requires patience and practice. First an impression of the
eye socket is taken and detailed observations of the client's face and natural eye are made. A new artificial eye of the correct shape is manufactured from the highest quality raw materials.
The eye is then hand-painted in matching colours to the natural eye. Paul Geelen says he paints the acrylic eye in front of the patients as a way of reassuring and conncecting with them. After that, the prosthesis is tested by the patient.
Then the ocularist teaches the patient how to use and care for the eye. The final step involves any adjustments required by the patient.
Geelen says that ocularists must be excellent technicians, skilled in
the process of taking eye impressions, manufacturing eyes and fitting them correctly. An eye that is the right shape will move naturally in the socket and should be comfortable to wear. The high quality material ensures that the prosthesis lasts for a long time. They must have the artistic flair required for the delicate task of matching colours and painting a realistic replica.
Care and cleaning
Caring for an artificial eye is a relatively easy job. It should be cleaned once a month with a special solution, although tears do clean it naturally. "Some people tend to take the eye prosthesis out at night to sleep. It is better to leave it in for longer periods of time," says Geelen. "However, chronic infection and irritation may occur if it is not cleaned regularly and it must be handled with extremely clean hands. It is much more comfortable for a patient to have a prosthetic eye as opposed to a maimed eye for the eyelids have something to blink on.
The results
Chances are, if you meet someone with an eye prosthesis for the first time, you may not notice anything different about them at all. It does, however, move a bit slower than the real one. For Gadallah, the results are satisfying: "People question me a lot less now compared to when I had the disfigured eye."
It is remarkable to see how Geelen has managed to duplicate the exact hue and tinge of Gadallah's hazel eyes. He says that blue eyes are the most difficult to paint while brown are the easiest. He says that he sometimes gets unusual requests regarding the prosthesis. "I sometimes get asked to paint the artificial eye the colour
of the contact lens being worn in the other eye. But I do not encourage such requests and prefer to do the natural colour," he says.
No age restriction
Artificial eyes can be fitted at any age. Children born with certain eye diseases can also be operated upon. The body accepts the foreign object better at a younger age and there are fewer psychological problems. However, for older children, the process can prove to be traumatic. From the surgery to taking impressions for the prosthesis, they can become hysterical and will often require an anaesthetic to fit the eye.
Future vision
Artificial eyes have existed for centuries. The glass eye was the predecessor of the acrylic prosthesis. An artificial eye made of acrylic rather than glass is more comfortable for the wearer. The aesthetic results are also more satisfying and it is easier to make.
Will the future see an artificial eye that is capable of vision?
Dr Sciscio is optimistic. He says that researchers announced early last year that a low-resolution image could be registered with the help of a micro-chip attached to a nerve. However, this is not be possible with an eye prosthesis. Nevertheless, this development could mean a new treatment for the visually disabled.
– Mehmudah Rahman is a Dubai-based freelancer
Share this article
More from Health
More from Life & Style
The complete magazine
Popular in Life & Style
-
Horoscopes
Daily Horoscope
Shelly von Strunckel reveals whats in the stars today
Life & Style editor's choice
-
Basque inflavour
Etxebarri restaurant, on the list of the 50 best eateries in the world
-
BMW X5 M brings a smile to your face
What the X5 M can do that the standard X5 can't with many sports cars
-
Things to see and do in Abu Dhabi
Explore takes a lap round the vibrant and ever-changing UAE capital
