Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-01-19
OPTICS MADE TO ORDER.
The Artificial Eyes ~ Good % ths
Natural In Ill Ways cxeept One.

'Oh, what Is this thing called
Light" asks the blind boy of the
poet, and while modern science can.
not answer him, 1t can produce arti.
fetal eyes which cannot be distin.
suishcd from natural oncs so far as
appearance goes. A glance at the
workshop Of an optist will give but
little information as to the process
OF manufacturing an artificial eye;
it Is an art in which u steady hand
skilful fingers aud good eye 70,
color, are the principal tools.
The optist, after attcntively study.
ing the remaining eye OF tho Gus.
toner (assunling that he has an cthcf
eyc), matches IL from his stock as to
color, then as 10 size, and aftcr ex.
ccedingly careful measurements Qnd
study OF the ocular cavity proceeds
to make an eye which will ha exactly
like thr natural one, except that IL
will not see. He uses n peculiar
kind OF enamel TO make the eycball,
every manufacturer having his own
secret for this. This enamel IL very
smooth and extremely brilliant.
The optist takes piece Of the en-.
amcl and heats IL, after which he
blows IL, like glass IL blown into .
bulb the size Of human cyeball,
and then cuts out from tho bulb
section varying In size according to
the condition OF the ocular cavity. II
the patients eyeball Is perfect what
Is called the thrce-quarter ball pro-
cess Is used. A section OF the thin
hollow bulb Is fitted over the ball and
the ego then moves as II IL were
natural. This Is the best method
when the eyeball permits, and an ar-
tificial eye Of this kind cannot posi-.
bly, be detected, except that. OF course,
the pupil does not contract or dilate,
II the ball Is gone then the motion 10
much more restricted. but IL will still
move in sympathy with the other eye.
Most people IRE astonishcd to learn
that an artificial eye Is not Slobular,
but only thin piece OF curved en-
amel. A little reflection will show
that 10 could not be put into the
cavity. u IL were globular, and being
In, could not he got out. for false eyes,
like false teeth. should be taken out
every night and replaced In the morn.
ing.
The thin section OF the bulb hav.
ing been shaped into u right or left
eye, rs the case may be, the iris IL
painted on The majority OF optists
make their own colors, and consider.
able artistic knowledge is required to
paint II lifc-likc iris. The colors are
fired into the enamel by means of IL
blowpipe, and then the crystal cornea
which covers tho iris has to be AZ.
fixed. This Is made from imported
crystal, which is the clcarest and pur.
est obtainablc. After being melted
1t is shaped and then placed over the
iris and ccmented in position. The
eye, utter the little veins have been
painted on the ball, is now complete.
and only remains to be fitted In the
ocular cavity.
The life Of an eye Is from twelve to
eighteen months. After that period
it becomes dull, owing to the saline
secretions of the eyclids acting upon
the enamel. a good artificial eye
costs from SIS to $50. They are
never made from glass; only tho
cheap ones that may DO bought
for $3 or ~ or even less are manu-.
featured from that material.