As an artificial eye maker, Christina Litzal was told as a trainee to treat her craft as if she was an expert artistic counterpart: creates an ideal match for one of the most sophisticated paintings in nature.
But just as there are many ways to lose eye – for cancer or to fall; To the broom that strikes the wrong part of the eyebrow – Leitzel wants to show that there are many ways to earn one.
In the post -wet noon in Portland, Oregon, a man in his thirties recently left his eyes in front of the BB gun out of her office with a smile. His eyes coincide between his green forests. But on its left, a sparkling golden vortex spread inside the student.
Leitzzel, also known as “Christina Ocularra” Tikhak and InstagramCreate what you call “fun eyes”. Its designs include students drawn in the form of sunflower and Diamond to Lovely cat. I received strange requests as he did not touch: a man arrived with a box of ash, wishing his late wife, “seeing everything he did.” A woman adorns the hole that I thought, why is it not a pierced iris, too?
Litzal said this person is her favorite. the Which led to Tiktok It was so common that the defect’s doctors felt that they were having had to be warned against the eyebrow hole.
Social media has helped convert Leitzzel into Mecca for a single -eye society. You may suggest that mixing is often a convenience of viewers completely, instead of those who are not. Some prefer their difference visible – and start a conversation.
“I just want my patients to be happy.” “At the end of the day, they should feel comfortable with themselves.”
It was not always very clear. Her profession, in kind, requires at least five years of an exercise How to design, manufacture and maintain artificial limbs. Leitzzel hears from colleagues who are concerned that her “fun” eyes are confused with medical devices with supports or fashion. A few years ago, her professional association collected her designs, which she said, “reduced the profession.” (It included the cartoon rod.)
In the event of any remorse, Leitzzel requires new patients first to obtain standard synthetic, which costs about $ 5,000 before insurance. Then, if they want, you will create a pleasant one for $ 500. She and Rachel Yi, a girlfriend and a sick, Fund To cover expenses through a non -profit organization called Fun Eye Fund.
Leitzzel was not aware of the element until her colleague in her artistic school Philadelphia went out of her eyes and handed her to her. She was surprised that she was not the heavenly glass crime, as in the films, and that she was drawn by hand. He sent his colleague to lease the corner to the world of Al Ain, who took her as a trainee.
There, I learned the art of eye -making: how to throw a template with an organic paste called genes. How to create an illusion of stretching by placing with a very light and dark dye.
The red thread guaranteed in the resin gives the appearance of the veins. To reach the level of real irritation in the eye, Leitzel asks questions: Did the patient grow well in the past night? Any entertainment material? (“He is Portland, after all,” she said.)
It also listens to accident stories and operations. For some patients, they are raised Mirrors during the equipment, knowing the scene of the raw socket is too much.
In 2021, she met Leitzel Yee, who lost her eyes to cancer as a young child, for the installation. Yi 31 was always an eye with a student who was golden and sparkling. But Al Ain players rejected her, and told her that they were not what they had done. He did not do to go down.
Yi recalls this is the first time she was happy with the new artificial. But she only wore it among friends at first, not sure whether she could deal with attention. It continued to wear realistic artificial instead.
She had not even seen hateful comments on Tiktok about her eyes that she realized that there was no benefit in hiding. Yi said: “It is human nature to discover the differences in the faces of people.” “If they were looking, I wanted to give them something to look at it.”
Today, it has dozens of enjoyable designs from Leitzzel and maintains its realistic faults for rare occasions, such as renewing its leadership license. “This depends on my mood – Zaya,” said Yi. A black gym. Pearl white, with Swarovski crystals and gold under the protective acrylic layer, for her wedding.
Not all of Leitzel experiences. Attempts to include insects – the bee, the scorpion – led to broken points, although the latter surprised them when they glowed under a black light.
The latest chase in Leitzzel was a snow effect, including a luster dance in diluted glycerin. She was not working as she was hoping. She said, “The questioner is not something,” she examined the transparent plastic between her fingers. “At least, not even discover it.”