Kestrell and Alexx return to the Ocularist

[alexxkay]

kestrell has new eyeballs! 10 months of angst is *done*! (Save for another few followups, but hopefully those should be trauma-free...) Photo-essay follows. Fewer disturbing images than the last one, but still worth putting behind a cut.

On the T. This is, with luck, the last picture ever in which Kes is wearing an eye-bandage. Not that I objected to the bandage -- but the continual use of the tape did unpleasant things to her skin.


In the waiting room, showing off her "Advice from a Bat" sweatshirt.
[text: Trust in your senses | Spend time just hanging around with friends | Don't be afraid of the dark | Get a grip | Enjoy the nightlife | Sometimes you've just gotta wing it | Guano happens!]


In the chair, waiting for new eyes.


The new eyes, soaking.


The ocularist displays his handiwork.


Taking out the old left eye.


Here's a closeup of that suction-cup gadget I was talking about last time.


Awaiting new eyes.
[Kes: this is the point where the ocularist dropped my eye on the floor, because the silicone drops used for lubricating the eye make it extremely slippery.]


In with the left...



...and the right.


Delerium eyes!
[descriptive text: the right eye is bright emerald green, and the left eye is bright blue.]


Hmmm... The right eyelids aren't closing all the way yet. They're kind of atrophied after all this time. Kes: "It feels like I have a cow in my eye!"


Using a Sharpie to mark where he wants to trim down the size slightly.


Popping out the right eye with the suction cup, to do a little fine-tuning.


The left will also need a bit of adjustment. Kes demonstrates where it feels wrong.


The right eye is much improved. "Now it just feels like a small calf!"


Marking the left eye for adjustments.


And popping it out.


For the left eye, the old prosthetic is handy. The ocularist has Kes compare the old and new, to help identify exactly where the problem area is.


After adjustments, re-inserting the left eye.


Feeling much better, now!


On the T again, not wearing dark glasses for the first time in ages!


After all the trauma, it's time for a *full* makeover, so off to a hair salon.


Who is that woman with the straight, non-crazy hair?


By the eyes, it must be Kestrell!
Kes: The salonist really wanted to blowdry my hair straight, even though every fiber of my being defies straight; I indulged her, but this is unlikely to ever happen again. Still, this is me with straight hair.


ETA: Closing comments on this post due to excessive spam. If you want to comment, email me.

Comments

[sheherazahde.livejournal.com]

Also here from officialgaiman.

Thanks for sharing this. It is really interesting.

I have a question.

In all the pictures I have seen of eyes they are spherical. Why are prosthetic eye almost triangular? Are eyes not really spherical? or is something else going on?

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

In modern procedures, when an eye is removed, the surgeons actually leave behind as much tissue as they can, while still correcting whatever problem prompted the removal. This lowers the amount of trauma the body has to adjust to. It also, incidentally, usually leaves enough of the musculature intact that the patient can still move their prosthetic eyes around in much the same way they moved their original ones.

[sheherazahde.livejournal.com]

Thank you.