allure I Lost My Eye at Age 4—Now I Wear a 24k Gold "Fun Eye"

View this email in your browser | Manage newsletter subscriptions

August 19, 2023

My 24k Gold Prosthetic Eye Makes Me Feel So Fearless

After a lifetime of doing my best to blend in, I’m finally embracing how good it feels to stand out.

“Excuse me, is that a contact?” It’s a question I’ve been asked everywhere from a department store to my usual corner deli. The answer is no, it’s not a contact: It’s a novelty or “fun eye” prosthetic. I’ve alternated between two: an opal and purple glitter prosthetic that mimics the inside of an amethyst stone and a 24-karat gold flaked version that looks almost bright orange when it catches the light. Truth be told, I’ve never felt more beautiful and confident.

Since losing my left eye at the age of four, I’ve worn a prosthetic. For most people who experience the loss of an eye, having a prosthetic made to match your natural eye color is the only option presented to you when seeing an ocularist, a medical professional that makes prosthetic eyes. It was the only option I had ever known—that is, until I stumbled upon a TikTok video that took my breath away.

Read about the video that changed writer Belle Bakst's concept of prosthetic-eye aesthetics and see the stunning portraits featuring her dazzling 24-karat eye in her full story on Allure.

This e-mail was sent to you by allure.com. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, allure@newsletters.allure.com, to your address book.

View our Privacy Policy

Unsubscribe or Manage your newsletter subscriptions

Copyright © Condé Nast 2023. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.