Center for Ocular Prosthetics

Our Story

  • Each drop creates the sea

The Dream Went To Sleep...

The people who will make your artificial eye are known as “Ocularists” (pronounced: “Ock-You-Lair-Ists”) and are engaged in the practice of “Ocularistry”.An Ocularist, a profession little known, and extremely rare. An ocularist is a professional who specializes in the creation and manufacture of an artificial eye made of polymethyl methacrylate resin, to give each patient a new look. I started my journey to become an ocularist while I was about 14 years old when I read a Readers Digest book my mum come with from a foreign trip. It had a story of a kid who lost an eye, and he got one painted and custom made for him. The dream went to ‘sleep’ for some years.

  • Each drop creates the sea

Modern Day Gypsy..

When I finished my medical school, I had thoughts of majoring in ophthalmology surgery (eye surgery) in the US. During my electives in ophthalmology surgery in Chicago, I met an ocularist who ‘woke up’ this dream. When I visited his workshop, he made a fatal mistake that woke up this dream forever not to sleep again. He gave me two prosthetic eyes, that I looked at, touched and felt like a kid who has just got a new toy, every other day on my work desk. A few years down the road after tasting the ‘medical water’ of Ugandan healthcare system. I looked for some specialty that is lacking in the medical fraternity. I packed my bags and went back to the USA to get this skill in ocularistry. Flying through in so many US states learning different techniques. My whole world was in Just two bags. I must say it felt good being be a modern-day Gypsy and at the same time a minimalist. From Rome, NY, down to Chesapeake, Virginia, escaping hurricane Michael to Hamburg, upstate New York and now back to Uganda to bring this rare to skill to the people that need it. Many have lost an eye and just need a boost in self-esteem with this custom paintwork and where artistry meets medicine, ironically all done by a doctor.

Exploring the African version of Ocularistry ...

With support from the Alliance Mondiale Contre le Cancer (AMCC) in their initiative of improving the management of retinoblastoma, am eye cancer in children. 
I was facilitated to visit Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana. To witness and experience solving native challenges with ocularistry in an African setting. 

Ghanian Team
Ocularist team at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana.
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Ocularist from Ghana
Meeting these two Ocularist from Ghana opened discussion of us having a consortium amongst us.
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The African Ocularist Consortium
The African Ocularist Consortium was born soon after comprising of ocularist and aspiring ocularist from Uganda, Ghana, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique and Kenya.
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African Culture
Trying out an African custom. Preparing our meal ( fufu) before start of work. Analogy :- African diversity calls for solution to our problems designed by us for us.
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Uganda's Anaplastology Officially Begins ...

Our Ugandan Patients who needed more than Ocular prostheses were left without any alternative but to go through life with the pain of disfigurement. Sooner or later Ocualristry and Anaplastology had to meet for a cup of Ugandan coffee.
Again, through the leadership of the American Society of Ocularists, I was able to access Anaplastology training with very experienced members of the International Anaplastology Association.
Some of the technologies they had were so advanced for my current practice environment, but a lot was learnt like Oseointegration, 3D scanning and sculpting.

Our patients now have a chance to leave a hopeful future after we have done interventional surgeries that leave disfigurements.

Uganda's Anaplastology offically Begins
Anaplastology Begins with Jay McClennen
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Uganda's Anaplastology
Anaplastology continues with Kaylee Dougherty
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Uganda's Anaplastology
This is an African doctor's dream hospital to work in.
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Uganda's Anaplastology
Dr. Carol Shields at Wills Eye hospital demonstrating to me the interdisciplinary approach to patient centered care. We had prosthetists (ocularists and anaplstologists), oculoplastic surgeons and oncologist on one table. Dr. Shields call for more cross-continental medical exchange with Ugandan ophthalmologist with her model of patient care and management.
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Painting Theory
Painting refresher training from Bridget (unknown gifted art tearcher)
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Anaplatology Orbital prosthesis
Orbital prosthesis sculpting
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Orbital Prosthesis demo
Orbital prosthesis demonstration for patient education.
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Anaplastology - Thumb
Prosthetic Thumb back view
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Anaplastology Thumb
Prosthetic Thumb front view
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Osseointegration close up
Osseointegration close up with titanium
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Oseointergation Orbital prosthesis
Demonstration of Osseointegration on the orbital prosthesis
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Osseointegration Orbital
Osseointegration orbital prothesis
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Demo Foot prosthesis
Demonstration of Foot Silicone foot prosthesis
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Demo Foot prosthesis
Demo silicone 40+30 Foot Prosthesis
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Ear prostheis
Demo of a silicone ear prosthesis without Osseointegration .
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