Posts Tagged ‘ocularist’

Sorry it has taken me so long to post, I expected to have my blog updated the day of recieving my eye but unfortunately that did not happen. I do have some photos for you all, but until I find the usb cord for my camera they will have to wait. For now, I will explain the process and how my appointments went.

Monday June 28th – My first appointment was at 9am, I filled out abot 7pages of medical information then sat in the waiting room until I was called. I was the only one there. I’m, not sure if they only do one patient at a time but in my case this was how it seemed.

After waiting about 10 minutes I was called in. The ocularist introduced herself and sat me down in what appeared to be a dental chair. She explained that they would be injecting a mould into my eye socket, one like dentists use to take impressions of teeth. This would be the start of my eye. She then asked me if I had any questions and we began.

When she put the mould in it stung a little, nothing major. I had to keep my eye open and remain still for about a minute or so and then she was able to take it out. She then explained that she would be in and out of the room quite a bit and to sit tight until she was back. From what I understand, she was going downstairs to a lab.

As I was waiting I played games on my ipod. I was glad I remembered it as there were no books or magazines to read and I was there for a wile. Over an hour period or so she kept coming in and out of the room. She would put the eye in and out and in and out then make changes to it size and shape. Next came time to mark in the pupil.

If you look closely to my eye, it looks like I have two pupils. I really don’t… it’s considered a ‘freckle’ or at least that’s what the ocularist called it. I asked her to make sure that was painted in as well. I wanted both eyes to look the exact same. She painted on the pupil and then shaped the eye some more over a tiny open flame. From here I was asked to go home and come back in about 3 hours.

When I went back three hours later it was time to paint the rest of the eye. This consisted of me sitting across a little table from her with a light shining in my face. I could see her and all of the little jars of powered paint. She was mixing the paint and painting the eye very gently. I couldn’t really see much of what she was doing, we just chatted back in fourth for about an hour. Every once in a while she would hold the eye up next to my remaining eye to compare. My next appointment was on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, June 29th I went into the office and the eye was complete. I thought there would have had to be more to do but there wasn’t. I was called in almost immediately, it was placed in and I could see myself in a mirror. I was amazed. For once, I felt like everything matched up. it was such a difference from the eye that had been removed. I felt normal again.

She asked me if I had any worries, or complaints. The only thing I said was it looked a little too glossy (which she said will dim down after a while) and that the eye looked smaller than my remaining eye. She said she would rather it be too small to begin with than too big, because it’s easier to build it up if need be.

I have to go back in August for a follow up appointment so she said that if I find it’s still too small then she will do a build up. After wearing it for almost 4 days now I think it’s fine. The gloss is dying down a bit and the eye looks and feels perfect. I even have good movement.

I will upload a video of the movement and some pictures by the end of the weekend. I will also talk more about the care of the prosthesis, so check back for that if you are interested.

I am leaving tomorrow to go and get my prosthetic eye made. My appointments aren’t until Monday and Tuesday, however, it’s a 5 hour drive and we are taking our two year odl daughter so we figured it’s best to leave the day before.

I am going to try to document as much as I can. I’m not sure if they’ll allow me to take pictures or record video but I’m hoping to atleast get pics of the different stages of the eye being made. If not, that’s okay too. I am just glad that the time is finally here.

I keep having dreams that I’m not going to look right. I don’t know why. I’ve seen so many examples, I know how talented an ocularist is but I still worry it may look bigger, smaller, darker, lighter, etc. I guess I’ll have to wait and see though.

On another note.. Last night I ended up in emergency. Apparently I have either asthma or bronchitis. I have had a horrible cough for a bit 3 weeks with breathing slowly getting harder to do. As of yesterday if I walked the length of myself I couldn’t breathe and if I so much as talked I’d start coughing until I vomited.

The doctor put me on a puffer which opens the airways and relaxes the muscles. I feel about 80% better. That, with some halls cough lozenges and I feel fine. I hope I feel good for Monday and Tuesday’s appointments.

Anyway, I’ll have my laptop with me so I’ll keep you all updated. Wish me luck!

I cannot believe that I had my eye removed over 3 months ago. I can remember the days where I’d sit and think that June 28th would never come, and now it’s only 6 days away.

I’m sure the next 6 days will drag by, but I have a lot of packing and planning to do for the trip. The ocularist I am seeing to have my eye made is about 5 hours away. We are going to be travelling there on Sunday, along with my 21 month old daughter, because my appointment is early on Monday (8am).

I will have another appointment or two on Tuesday, and hopefully it will be finished then. Apparently, when I go home with the eye, I will be asked to go back in a few weeks to make sure the fitting is still good.

With taking our daughter, comes a lot of planning out. We have to plan meals, rest stops, and fun things to do in between. I have to find a hotel, or relatives house to stay at (whatever we choose) and make sure the distance between there and the ocularists is not that far.

Needless to say I am very anxious. I cannot wait to ditch these eye patches.