Own the disadvantage
 

http://www.bmezine.com/title/2003/occular.jpg

As some of you may have read in some other thread at some time... I lost my right eye a few years ago.

The prosthetic eye i have is, mmmyeh, _ok_ but its perfectly obvious that it's false.

I saw the above image on bmezine a few weeks ago and it has really burned itself into my thinking.

I want something similar - maybe the same polished finish but with a smoothly sculpted iris and pupil.

Its not for work and sunday lunch with granny (though knowing my granny she'd barely be put off her stride), but for some general wear... It's making a statement about being monoccular.

I am. Its me and, for my personal life at least, i see no reason why i should try to make others feel more comfortable about it.

What do you chaps reckon?

Bit much or, as i feel, a righteous re-taking of _my_ body?

I don't know, you might put people off with it. While I don't have such an obvious disability as you do, I'm certainly aware of how people can be ill at ease with it, and I feel it's my responsibility to address that on their behalf.

When it comes to disabilities, we're not supposed to celebrate them, we're supposed to be ashamed of them. People expect you to behave as if you don't have it, not draw attention to it.

I don't think that's a good thing at all, but it's the culture we have.

Sure, wear it if you feel like it, but be prepared for people to be a bit wary of you.

i think that would be fucking brilliant. what a great way to really throw people off. nobody flinches anymore when they see people with odd or plentiful piercings, but even i would have to do a doubletake on that. i say go for it. i wouldn't even get it sculpted to look like an eye, i'd just have the smooth polished steel ball.

Sweet. And, it'd be an icebreaker. With a realistic false eye, people might be looking at it funny, wondering if it is false or not, not sure if they should say anything. Shiny steel? Yeah, they'll know and they'll comment.

Heck, I'd be tempted to get a whole set for different functions.

Id say smooth and polished, with a hint of the iris and all like you are talking.

The normality of the eye-looking parts, will make the shiny steel that more odd.

I say give it a go! Probably put people off, but... Probably noit people you wanted to meet anyway!

I vote for shiny steel. Totally freak people out! I love it!

the only thing is, where the hell would i go to get one?

not like there's a steel occular prosthetic department at my local walmart... (asda in this here u of k)

who does one go to to get custom metal castings?

Hmm...

flamingdog:

Yeah, there will be people who will be put off by it.

thin, shallow people. it could work as a very effective arsehole warder offerer.

i reckon.

Wow that is awesome.

Go for it!!

good point, i guess.

i dunno, i suppose we have different outlooks on disability, but then we have totally different disabilities. i'm the kind of guy who plays his "problems" down, and although i don't shy away from questions like "why do you walk like a freak", i wouldn't exaggerate my walk intentionally to 'own the disadvantage' as you say. weird one this, have to think about it some more.

why don't you ask your prosthetic guy if he knows of any way to sort it out?

I think it's great - you should look the way you want to look, and if this turns you on, go for it! It might attract attention but what's wrong with that? I think it says a lot about your self-confidence and how comfortable you are with yourself, and that's as good a reason as any to go for it.

actually, now I think about i remember seeing a documentary slot on a guy who'd made himself a prosthetic eye with... I think it had a red LED in it. i remember thinking it was kind of cool, but the guy struck me as a bit of a dick regardless.

not because of his customised eye, I should add.

I suppose you could ask whoever would supply you with a normal prosthetic eye where you'd be able to get something like that. Or ask the folks at bmezine if they could get you in touch with that guy in the photo.
Like krwlz said, the kind of people that would be put off by it, probably aren't worth knowing anyways.

Go for it, a shiny steel ball is probably the best body mod I have seen to date. It would be rediculous cool and a real attention getter. :thumbsup:

flamedog: yeah, i think i've seen the same thing. he was going for some sort of terminator look wasn't he? anyway, yeah, from memory the chap seemed like a tool.

When i was getting my first prosthetic eye, in finland, the lady there showed me pictures of a custom job they did for some chap over there... a darth maul eye.

Pretty cool, for a star wars fanatic...

lurkette: I think that getting something so outrageous would nullify the ongoing inner debate that rages during every conversation i have, which would certainly boost my confidence (it needs it)...

"Are they looking at my eye? they are, i can see them. gah. they aren't even listening..."

ad infinitum.

An overactive self-critic is a terrible thing...

:P

yeah... if memory serves he had a green one too. i remember i was in my girlfriend at the time's bed when i saw it, so that might be why i don't remember.

Even though this wasn't aimed at me, you've pretty much answered my point. Kind of a "you don't like it, fuck you" thing.

It'd not really be a 'fuck you' thing, more of a get-it-out-of-the-way-so-its-no-longer-an-issue thing...

I think.

You know, when lurkette first dyed her hair purple, it definitely had this effect for her. She was always afraid people were looking at her and judging her--and it really gave her a LOT of freedom to just go ahead and know that they were looking at her and judging her. And that it's not such a big deal, as it turns out.

Yeah, what he said. :)

At first sight it would probably scare the living crap outta me. The picture sure did! At second glance I'd think "Wow, that's fuckin cool."

I like the steel-bearing look, myself. :)
You do what's best for you and let the other's wonder.

I did a google search for "prosthetic eye+manufacturers" and found this site that has a listing of different manufacturers around the U.S., and perhaps the World.
http://www.health-care-resources.com...osthetics.html

Here is one of the sites from the list.
It goes into their processing a little and the companys' history.
Seems the original founder of the company had a prosthetic eye himself.
http://www.legrandeyes.com/main.html
It's a pretty fascinating process they go through to make the prosthetics.

I didn't find a site that made one like in the picture, but I didn't look long either.
Maybe you'll have better luck, tisonlyi.

better luck with...? sorry, not sure what you're replying to.

I disagree, I think that this wouldn't put people off, but just the opposite, it would let people know that you have come to terms with this and would put them at ease. People are uneasy around people with disabilities because they don't know how to act or react. This would give them some idea that they needn't be so uneasy. I know a guy who has the same disability and he has a shirt with a smiley face with only one eye. I think it accomplishes the same thing. Also, like several others have said, it will weed out assholes and shallow people. Good luck, I applaud your character.

I dont think a standard eye prothetisiststststs will do the job, they work with plastics, not metal. very different.

I think a foundry could make a cast based on my current eye, modify it slightly and go from there.

maybe...

D'oh! My mistake. Wrong person. :D

So are you okay to just put a piece of metal in there? I guess there'd be obvious hygeine concerns with any prosthetic, and I suppose metal's easy enough to keep clean... I guess it would need to be finished to quite a high degree too.

Mmm.

I would think it'd have to be eithre high grade surgical steel or titanium.

probably titanium, like the chap in the picture, for weight reasons....

If it was made by a foundry, i suppose i'd just have to get the thing autoclaved before i stuck it into my socket... any decent piercing establishment will be good for that i think...

Sorry guys, I got confused there for a few minutes.

*more sleep, more sleep, more sleep*

That is great. I think I would do something like that were I ever in your situation. I wish you luck in finding someone to make one for you. That is so cool (just as long as you are sure you don't have an allergy or sensetivity to the metal if you get one made).

Go for it, if you decide you don't like it, then you can always use your old prostehtic. I love the idea though.

:) i'm sure everything i've said tonight has been dumb.

Go for it man!

Whoever mentioned earlier that one is to be ashamed of a disability, and to not make light of it. That is total bs in my view.

You have one eye, ok, I'm sure your not ashamed of it since you probably had little control over it happening. If having this makes you happy, then do it.

I dont know about other people, but if I saw somone wearing that I'd be more inclined to talk to them then w/out it. Since then apparently thier not trying to *hide* thier one eye which is always obviously fake.

get a bunch like that guy in last action hero!
http://www.photobucket.com/albums/09...image_11-2.jpg
not a joke i like that movie belive it or not!

Maybe you should read what I actually said.

I agree, looks cool.

* random show of support *

Go for it man, it's spiffy. Spiffy is a lot better than a fake looking normal eye prosthetic.

thats way cool... reminds me of riddick in pitch black.... always thought his eyes looked way cool...

... theres a lot of potential fun to be had with the different fake eyes...

Gives a whole new meaning to "steely blue" eyes. I like it, and really, if you like it, does it really matter what anyone else thinks?
Could be interesting for airport security. I imagine those people would definitely freak.

I vote...go for it! It's not like you can't change your mind later.

Go for it. :thumbsup:

Although platinum might be better(more expensive though) since it can be round and inside the body for a much longer time than steel or titanium

I say reclaim your body in any way you see fit. I think it's an awesome idea, and those who are "put off" by it can suck an egg.

I'd go with the shiny steel ball, no carvings. I think that would be far classier.

the only issue I see is that while those who are ""put off" can suck an egg" you do need to be able to provide income for yourself. One thought would be to make sure that while you have a "cool" eye.. you should also have one that's less shocking for being able to bring home the bacon and lots of it.

working at MTV I see lots of different colored hair and piercings, but I'll tell you the people that move up the fastest are the ones that do have some of those things, but also know how to turn it on and off when needed.

how do u take it out and put it in? is it easy? if its really easy, go for it, it looks badass!

and upon reading all of the posts (who are u calling impatient), i really think you may regret getting a metal eye. Stainless steel would be waaay to heavy. Titanium clouds and scratches very easily. Both probably have health issues, with metal rubbing off inside your eye socket, near your nerve endings. I think you could get a plastic one with a very nice finish that would look identical

i'd be like, 'whoa cool eye!'

i guess it depends on where u live too about it being 'acceptable or not' and about 'making a statement'.

for instance, if u live in grenich village nobody would look twice at you.


although like Shpoop said, i think you should look into the health ramifications of it. if u just want metal u could prolly go really cheap and get a ball bearing! seriously though, if u get all metal u might just be uncomfortable physically from its weight.

I think he's just going for appearance, there are many options i think for him to consider. And I don't think there would be any health issue, if there is such a problem with a metal ball you could laminate it in a safe composite clear plastic. Or whatever term you would use for "thin layer of plastic around the titanium/platinum/steel prosthetic eyeball"

Check out your options man and go for it! It sounds like a great idea to me

that is way cool.....totally awesome and somewhat sexy :D

Maybe this has been mentioned before, but what about a mirrored contact lens for the prosthetic eye? Is this something that can be done easily/economically?

(Reminds me of the Stephen Wright line about knowing a friend with false teeth, but he had braces on them)

Regardless, I think it would be a great show of individuality and nonconformism. Yes, I totally guessed on that word. Do post pics if you find something that pleases you!

Not to make light of your disability, but you seem to have a great outlook on it, and a sense of humor, but I almost want to have a prothetisistststst so I can get that look, I think it's an awesome Idea! Go fricking crazy with it!

that is KILLER! You can change it so go for it!

So cool!

enough said

it's your body, who cares what others think?

I also say go for it. I've actually thought that it wouldn't be so bad to lose an eye, because you could have cool ones instead! :)
Stainless steel would look really good, but so would:
An 8-ball
Wood (several types, different finishings, should be easy and cheap to make)
Clear glass (to show people that you Really Have No Eye)
Oh, and if you ever need to smuggle small stuff, this will be the last place they look... a hollow eyeball? ;)

First, I think something like that would be cool, in a "shake things up" kind of way. It would be totally unexpected, so it would shock some people. But most people, I believe, would be intrigued.

Forgive my ignorance of prosthetic eyes, but I have a couple questions:
Are they perfectly spherical? If so you could use a ball bearing of steel (though it would be heavy) or some other material. They are made in just about every imaginable size, so I'm sure you could find something off the shelf that would fit.
Can you take it out yourself or do you need to go to a doctor or something? You could have box of eyeballs - one for every occasion!
Could you get one that turns around? Say, "normal" eye on one side, and mirrored(or whatever) on the other?

I see no reason why you should not explore the expressive possibilities of your eye.

those fake eyeballs that are made to look like real ones.. I really don't like them. They really bother me. Not that I have an issue with the person or disability, but it looks so obviously fake, it draws so much negative attention and promotes it as a disability.
This steel ball is awesome. It will do quite the opposite. You may be missing an eye, but you can do something that most of us can't do, and be artful and creative about it.
rock on.

I would think a solid, metal eye would be too heavy. Maybe have a layer of stainless steel affixed to a regular plastic unit.

I bet you could take a regular eye to a machine shop, tell them what you need done. They could fix you up. As far as etchign a design onto it, I would think that would be a lot more expensive and difficult.

Go for it.

As my Dad said when I tried to break the shocking news to him about my (gasp) earring, "Well, it's you body." (It was 1985, gimme a break)

Go for it!! Sure it's gonna get some strange looks, but you're putting the ball in your court. You're saying" Yes, I know that my eye is missing. Can we now move on to me being cool?" I have a medium sized keloid scar across the back of my ear and down my neck as the result of a bad car accident. So I kinda know where you're coming from. Do it, man, I would.

Gitcha one that squirts water. :p

You could also get a regular plastic eyeball chromed... that would look cool as well...

Get the steel bering thing, and then tell people they told you you'll learn how to see with it, in time.

I wonder if they make one that has a battery and a light-bulb in it. Imagine if you could make it glow with a remote in your pocket.

You could impress girls in a darkened club! Tell them you're a Cylon or something! :lol:

I like the metal. Don't forget a monocle for it too.

So, any news? Did you find the chrome eye yet?

No, I had a fairly major discussion with a collection of piercers who came up with a few theories on how it could be made...

Titanium paste seems to be the way go, surgical grade when hardened and easy enough to work with to get the appropriate shape.

Everyone thinks it should be coated with plastic before i would wear it though, with the problem being the exact type of plastic that's recommended for occular prosthetics...

So, there's limited theoretical progress, but no concrete progress.

Also, kinda related, I've decided to go back to university to study Medical Engineering. Maybe I could make myself an eye in a few years time...

;)

Aside: If anyone has Steve Haworth's email address, that'd be nice.

I definitely agree with going for the unique look; you'll stand out and it's another way of expressing your individuality. Do what makes you happy, not what other people are comfortable with.

That said, from an engineering standpoint you could probably pick up a metallic sphere from a supply store like www.smallparts.com or something similar. I would recommend against any solid material; the density of metal makes it prohibitively heavy.

How much does your eye weigh, and what is the diameter? Based off of that information, you could probably figure out a more stylized replacement. I would recommend a hollow sphere made out of a material that is compatible with your body; chances are you already know people who would be able to tell you what materials would and would not work. Getting the actual product made wouldn't be too hard.

You could also consider getting an interesting pattern etched into the sphere. Something like a crosshatch or a logo would be really interesting.

Ok, serious now....I think you should get several eyes. You can accessorize to your wardrobe, your mood, or for whatever reason you see fit. I have never been put off by monocular people. Curious more than anything. If you are wearing black belt, and black shoes, you can dress your eye accordingly. Brown belt, etc.....you know what I mean? It is certainly not mainstream, but why shouldn't it be? I think it beats a patch or a really fake eye. I like to give someone eye contact when I speak to them. Sometimes, I am not sure which eye to focus on when speaking with someone with one eye so this would help the situation.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress. You never know, there might be a market for your new fashion eye business.

http://www.eyecancer.org/Innovations/prosthesis.gif

thats the layout of the type of eye prosthetic i have, so no ball bearings will do i'm afraid.

;)

The main 'ball' is coral. The eye muscles are attached to it, and the body then grows into the spaces of the coral, eventually swapping out the structure of the coral for bone, i believe. It _is_ a living part of me with blood vessels, nerves and the whole shebang.

The cosmetic prosthetic is just a thin piece which goes over the inner ball. It can either be molded via injection techniques to the exact layout of the inner ball, or it can be handcrafted for comfort.

Damn, everything always has to be expensive...

More Info On Prosthetics, If You Want It...

I think the shiny eye would look cool, but since when does it constitute a political statement?

Metal will be way too heavy. Non-conductive plating on a hollow plastic prosthetic should work. I would try to put a laser pointer inside it.

Just fyi, that much platinum would be a couple of thousand dollars, on top of the fabrication costs.

Anyway, I think the "eye of steel" would be fucking cool.

I smiled at the initial picture. It looks great. =)

Should you go for an etched iris and pupil, or something else on it?

I think it kicks some serious ass man. I would do that if I had the same 'disadvantage'. More power to ya in re-taking your body!

that is the coolest thing I've ever seen!

I'm off now to go gouge my eye out...I want one!

have you tried emailing the site where ou saw him? They may have contact details for him, and if they won't give them to you, they will likely contact him and ask him to get in touch.

I say go for it! I think it looks awesome. Good luck finding a way to make it work. :)

Somehow install a miniature laser pen into a steel prosthetic eyeball. The laser must always be on. Insert in eye socket: Insta Cyborg.