The Fun Eye
In recent years, fun eyes have become popular not only for design but as a response to help mental and emotional healing, and most importantly as a way for the wearers to gain their bodily autonomy back and showcase what makes them unique in their own communities.
The Fun Eye Fund mission statement is to, “transform self-consciousness into self-confidence”.
History
Currently known for her “fun eyes”, Christina Leitzel, formerly known as King, is an Ocularist that resides in Portland, Oregon.
She began her career in 2009, directly after graduating from the Art Institute in Philadelphia with a bachelors of science in Industrial Design and Technology.
While in Philadelphia she worked closely with many world renowned doctors and started to specialize working closely with children with microphthalmia, this heightened her want to produce easier methods to take impressions, resulting in the first 3D printed ergonomic impression trays that are easily replicated, cleaned and numbered for record keeping.
In recent years, she has become very passionate about working with members of the one eye community, especially Rachel “MacKenzlee” Yee to raise money and create as many free fun eyes as possible, or affordably.
The Fun Eye-Creation
This non profit was created after seeing just how many other one eye wearers became interested in fun eyes after seeing Rachel’s page, that either couldn’t afford a fun eye or who didn’t have a connection to someone who could create what they envisioned.
The Fun Eye Fund mission statement is to, “transform self-consciousness into self-confidence”.
While exploring the world of fun eyes, she also recognized the need for more community and hosted the first in person one eye meetup this past April, it included 4 days for community members from all over the world to meet up, heal, bond and create relationships with others that they wouldn’t normally have. In hosting this meeting she met many other like minded individuals who seek to connect the community and has been working daily on connecting new one eye members to this community that is thriving!
Christina actively partakes in continuing education therapy courses to expand her knowledge and obtain proper handling of clients with ptsd, trauma, and emotional support. It’s one added interest that she uses in career to make her clients feel more at ease.
In truth, fun eyes have always been around, as many ocularist and few clients know, this is nothing new, but it wasn’t until the past few years in combination of demand and social media that they have risen as a hot topic to the one eye community as well as public.
In recent years, they have become popular amongst the community not only for design but as a response to help mental and emotional healing, and most importantly as a way for the wearers to gain their bodily autonomy back and showcase what makes them unique in their own communities.
Rather than “hiding and blending in” the wearers of these eyes have come together to educate the public on a topic that has been normally a very private and sometimes a taboo topic.
In addition, Christina stands behind all one eye wearers in support, to see that wearers don't take matters into their own hands by using unsafe materials to create their own prosthesis, but to create one in the proper facilities under the highest standards, with someone who if certified, at an affordable price, or free through the non profit.
