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My cousin makes prosthetic eyes! They've moved on from glass to special materials, but still hand-paint each eye bespoke. https://artificialeyes.net/ocularists

My cousin makes prosthetic eyes! They've moved on from glass to special materials, but still hand-paint each eye bespoke. https://artificialeyes.net/ocularists/iowa/coralville-vbulgarelli/ https://artificialeyes.net/ocularists/iowa/coralville-vbulga...

AndrewOMartin 4y ago
I got unexpected amusement from reading that there used to be exactly three glass eye makers in the UK. I know that doesn't actually mean anything, but I couldn't help it.
- gonzo41 4y ago
  It's kinda like making violins and such, it seems like a really satisfying job but it's ultra niche. Probably similar to trying to be a full time poet.
  - ugjka 4y ago
    Those are not symmetrical. It is lot easier to be a full time poet than be a violin maker. But of course you are more likely be a broke full time poet
    - gonzo41 4y ago
      I'm thinking more in market saturation terms. There arn't that many full time violin makers, similar to there not being many healthy poets being gainfully employed for their poems.
bouvin 4y ago
Neat! I have for the past 40 years had a new prosthesis made every second year or so by F.Ad. Müller Söhne [1] – it is always a wonder to see the ocularist work with miniature glass blowing equipment creating an eye fit just for you. [1] https://muellersoehne.com/home.html https://muellersoehne.com/home.html
- skrbjc 4y ago
  Can I ask why you have new ones made? Is it just to have multiple or do they somehow wear out?
  - 83 4y ago
    From the grandparent link: When to replace your eye? The tissue around the eye socket changes over time, and the eye can become scratched, even with careful maintenance.For these reasons you should replace your eye every three to five years, more often for children.
    - sexy_panda 4y ago
      Reading this without context feels weird
  - bouvin 4y ago
    I can see that your question has already been answered, but I can confirm what it says. The cavity left after surgery changes over time, and the prosthesis, even if it is glass, eventually gets worn, leading to irritation. I presume that this is due to sand and grit in the air, which scratches the surface. Additionally, you can have the ocularist recenter the eye prosthesis so that it better matches the orientation of your normal eye. Most eye prosthesis are approximate hollow quarter spheres resting on the eye musculature so that they can move in unison with the other eye.
83 4y ago
Now I'm curious what is better than glass? Aside from weight, it seems like an almost ideal material.
- JoeAltmaier 4y ago
  Says something https://iowaeye.tripod.com/ https://iowaeye.tripod.com/ about that
  - 83 4y ago
    Interesting, acrylic applied in multiple layers. I can see how this would be superior to glass from a manufacturing standpoint (easy to cast and layer), but my experience with acrylics is they scratch and aren't very durable. Perhaps that's another benefit - customers coming back more often for replacements.
    - JoeAltmaier 4y ago
      Maybe weight is a factor. They last a long time - longer than they need to - usually folks return because they've grown (children) or aged so the old one doesn't fit.

AndrewOMartin 4y ago

I got unexpected amusement from reading that there used to be exactly three glass eye makers in the UK. I know that doesn't actually mean anything, but I couldn't help it.

gonzo41 4y ago
It's kinda like making violins and such, it seems like a really satisfying job but it's ultra niche. Probably similar to trying to be a full time poet.
- ugjka 4y ago
  Those are not symmetrical. It is lot easier to be a full time poet than be a violin maker. But of course you are more likely be a broke full time poet
  - gonzo41 4y ago
    I'm thinking more in market saturation terms. There arn't that many full time violin makers, similar to there not being many healthy poets being gainfully employed for their poems.

bouvin 4y ago

Neat! I have for the past 40 years had a new prosthesis made every second year or so by F.Ad. Müller Söhne [1] – it is always a wonder to see the ocularist work with miniature glass blowing equipment creating an eye fit just for you. [1] https://muellersoehne.com/home.html https://muellersoehne.com/home.html

skrbjc 4y ago
Can I ask why you have new ones made? Is it just to have multiple or do they somehow wear out?
- 83 4y ago
  From the grandparent link: When to replace your eye? The tissue around the eye socket changes over time, and the eye can become scratched, even with careful maintenance.For these reasons you should replace your eye every three to five years, more often for children.
  - sexy_panda 4y ago
    Reading this without context feels weird
- bouvin 4y ago
  I can see that your question has already been answered, but I can confirm what it says. The cavity left after surgery changes over time, and the prosthesis, even if it is glass, eventually gets worn, leading to irritation. I presume that this is due to sand and grit in the air, which scratches the surface. Additionally, you can have the ocularist recenter the eye prosthesis so that it better matches the orientation of your normal eye. Most eye prosthesis are approximate hollow quarter spheres resting on the eye musculature so that they can move in unison with the other eye.

83 4y ago

Now I'm curious what is better than glass? Aside from weight, it seems like an almost ideal material.

JoeAltmaier 4y ago
Says something https://iowaeye.tripod.com/ https://iowaeye.tripod.com/ about that
- 83 4y ago
  Interesting, acrylic applied in multiple layers. I can see how this would be superior to glass from a manufacturing standpoint (easy to cast and layer), but my experience with acrylics is they scratch and aren't very durable. Perhaps that's another benefit - customers coming back more often for replacements.
  - JoeAltmaier 4y ago
    Maybe weight is a factor. They last a long time - longer than they need to - usually folks return because they've grown (children) or aged so the old one doesn't fit.