Artificial Eyes
by Paul, Jenny and Emily Geelen

Another Step in Helping People Through Eye Loss

Hearing the news that your eye has to be removed is like having a rug ripped out from under your feet.

Suddenly, you’re overwhelmed with feelings – shock, numbness, disbelief, anger, sadness, fear and anxiety.

And then the questions begin:

Is there much pain after surgery?

What will I be left with?

What happens next?

Will my life change dramatically?

What will I look like?

Who can I talk to about how I feel?

This last question is common for anyone facing eye loss. Gaining support from someone who has been through the same experience can alleviate fears, ease distress and provide valuable coping skills for the future.

To date, we’ve addressed this need through our buddy system.

This works by matching people who have similar eye conditions, but who are at different stages.

So, for example, when someone with a melanoma of the eye has surgery pending, we’ll match them with another person with this condition who is much further down the track.

And the same goes for parents of kids with retinoblastoma or micro-ophthalmia. They are linked with other parents who know what lies ahead.

But this buddy system doesn’t cater for the friends or wider family who might not be coping with what’s going on.

And having a similar background isn’t always enough.

Knowing how to respond to a very distressed person is a skill in itself. What should you say? And what shouldn’t you say? What is the best way to help?

We’re hoping to answer these questions at a Peer Support Training Day on October 18, run by Michael Tunnecliffe. Michael is a Clinical Psychologist with experience in dealing with trauma.

Michael will give an insight into the trauma of losing an eye, and spell out specific ways of helping.

Everyone is welcome.

If you’ve lost an eye, are about to lose an eye, are a parent of a child in this situation, are a family member or partner, are involved in the buddy system or want to become involved, then plese come along.

Flyers will be mailed out closer to the time with the venue and time. So pencil Saturday 18 October in your diaries.

3 Responses

  1. I would love to join the Buddy Group. I would be delighted to offer advise to anyone with queries in relation to eye loss/prostetic fitting etc. I am 33 years old and lost my eye at the age of 5 so if you have a question chances are I have had it to. Please contact me.
    Happy to help.
    Theresa.

  2. my mother went blind in one of her eyes 26 years ago and has had 4 cornia grafts on good eye….recently she has had a massive staff infection in her good eye and she was becoming very ill antibiotics didnt seem to help her…the consultants in the end said the only way to get better is to have the eye removed..i think this is called enucleation…anyway she is now toally blind…still in hospital recovering. i understand this site is for people with eyeloss and sharing advice and experiences….but i just wondered if anyway could help me understand what she must be going through as she has always had the british stiff upper lip and seems to be just accepting it…im sure she must be terrified….as managed all these years with the one eye and now nothing…thanks catherine

  3. I lost my eye at 16 and since then I’ve done everything with one eye. I drove semi trucks, raced motorcycles, tow campers, hunt(I had to learn to to shoot left handed), and play sports. Now I’m 50 and few even know (good prosthetic). Let me know if I can help anyone get used it.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *