Eye making 101

Charlie has his new prosthetic eye!

A lot of people have questions about Charlies fake eye. We don't want it to be a taboo subject around here or have him feel shame about it so we are very open.

Adrian, Charlie and I when to Toronto for two days this week to have Charlies first eye made and fitted. We stayed over night in a hotel since there were four appointments in two days. Dad and Mom to himself AND a hotel pool, Charlie was as excited as any four year out would be.

The night before Adrian found the clinic's website and told me to check it out. I am glad that I did, as it saved me from some disappointment later. There were pictures of children with fake eyes on the website, and you can instantly see what eye is fake. I had been picturing and hoping for Charlies face pre-cancer. Even is the eye matches perfectly, there is no way to put "life" or emotion into a fake eye. It was really good that I saw those pictures. We went into it choosing to be happy and thankful for what medical advances COULD do for Charlie. We can not dwell on what he lost.

(This obviously has pictures of eyes, so be fore-warned)

Tools of the trade. Its 50% art and 50% science. These doctors are artists. Its very impressive to watch.

They first took a little black circle and started to paint the iris. They dilute and mix the paint until they are happy with the perfect match.

The reason we had to go in four times was they will not make an eye off of a picture. "We do not make a copy off of a copy" Charlie would sit in the chair beside the doctor and the eye would be held up to his face every few minutes.

Charlie explaining a lego magazine to the doctor. : )

Little model.

The different pupil sizes. The black bits on the bottom is what they paint on and they they snap the round piece over top.

There are only 20 clinics in Canada that make prosthetic eyes. Only 4 of them will deal with children. Kids are hard because they all fight fittings. The doctors have to do a lot of guess work when it comes to the kids. Its hard to get the eyes in and out of kids and the "perfect fit" is next to impossible.

I will not show pictures of Charlie with his eye out. Charlie can decide when he is older if he wants people to see that or not. We thought the empty eye would sag shut, but it actually remains open. The muscle in the eye socket is pulled around that orbit and sewn in place. It looks like the inside of a mouth. When we saw it for the first time there was a few teary-eyed seconds where I thought "Oh, my baby". But then that was gone. I don't know if its possible to not be able to look at your child. He is the same, we love him the same and it is not gross at all to us. Charlie and I have looked at all the close-ups and discussed it. When Charlie asks questions we look though the "eye file" on our computer and it really helps Charlie work through it all.

The fittings were not the greatest. He fought hard and it took Adrian and I both to hold him. Technically, taking eyes and and out does not hurt. But the doctor said it feels weird and kids will automatically close their eyes tight. Then the doctor has to push really hard on his eye area to get it in or out. Charlie has a touch of a black eye today, only because the doctor has to push so hard. Once the kids get used to the idea and understand that it does not hurt, then the doctor can make the eyes fit nicer. The Doctor said "eyes are like a fine wine" (HA). They will get better with time.

After the first fitting they vein the eye. They take something like yarn, shred it, and paint on the fibres.
Again, trying to match his real eye.

Most people think a fake eye is round, but its shaped to fit over the implant (attached to the muscle) perfectly. That way the eye is able to move back and forth a little.

Then they painted the white of the eye to match as well.

And the finished product!

As of right now, you can see that the eye is to big. His socket is still healing and one day he might wake up and the eye looks to small. Everything has to settle still. Its not going to look its best until everything is healed and Charlie knows to relax during the fittings. But for the first time around, we think it looks pretty good!

These eyes cost 2000$ each. And having the moulds made while he is put under cost another 500$. The government covers 75% of these costs and Adrian's work benefits will cover the remainder. We are blessed. There is no set amount of time kids need their eye replaced, as it all depends on how fast they grow and how everything settles. The first prosthetic will last somewhere between 9 months to two years. After that its around two years for children and 5 years once he is an adult.

Adrain and I do not have to touch the eye at this point. I don't think we could get it in and out even if we wanted to right now. We will have be learn all that. Charlie has to go back in 6 weeks so the Doctor can see how things are looking and make adjustments.

The little tool used to remove and place the eye.

Making a joke. : )
Charlie gets to keep his old eyes. This is his temporary prosthetic. The kids are fascinated by it and the three of them have been fighting over a fake eye, of all things, today. It has now been put away for a while. haha.

Its great they give the kids their old eyes. He is very proud to show people.

So that's it. The first round is over. This is Charlie's normal, eyeballs are table talk now.
I am going to wrap up this little blog soon. I'll write one more post soon and then its done.

Thankyou all.