San Jose ocularist uses technology, artistry to make ultra-realistic eye prostheses
SAN JOSE -- Georgia Sutherland has something to share about her appearance that you would never know if you met her face to face.
And it has to do with her bright blue eyes. One of them isn't real.
"People are shocked to find out that I'm missing an eye. It's just not in anybody's imagination that a prosthetic eye could look this normal," Sutherland said.
It isn't until ocularist Raymond Rendon removes her right eye that you really know for sure.
"There's no pain. I'm perfectly fine without it. I mostly wear it for other people who stare at me," she said.
Rendon is one of only about a dozen ocularists in California. His San Jose practice creates prosthetic eyes for accident victims or people who've lost an eye because of illness.
"I got an infection in the eye and it came in quick and was undetected. By the time they found it my sight was gone and the retina was destroyed," Sutherland said.
Rendon created Georgia's eye about a year ago in his workshop and studio where he blends art and science.
"You have to be a perfectionist about everything," Rendon said.
The prosthesis itself is a curved acrylic shell that fits over an ocular implant like a big contact lens.
The implant is permanently embedded in the eye socket and connected to muscle tissue to maintain natural movement.
The eyes would not look real without veins, which Rendon creates using tiny red fibers.
"I just lay it wherever it needs to be laid," Rendon said.
Rendon's interest in the field began when he found out he could use his art skills to help people.
"What a blessing to be able to do something that's fun, artistic and you get to make people feel better about themselves," Rendon said.
"That's everything I could ever want in a job."
Georgia's eye just needed a little fine-tuning to fit better.
And although only one of them has vision, she says both her eyes feel good and look good.