Katie Piper, a TV presenter and former model, has revealed that she will be getting an “artificial eye” more than 16 years after suffering from a severe acid attack that left her with permanent scarring and severe injuries. The decision to opt for the prosthetic eye shell comes after “many years of battling” with her health, as she revealed in an Instagram post. The 41-year-old has undergone hundreds of surgeries to repair the damage to her face and eyesight, which was caused by an attack on the orders of her ex-boyfriend when she was just 24 years old.
A prosthetic eye shell, also known as a cosmetic shell, is a thin artificial eye that is custom-made to fit the patient’s blind or damaged eye. It is often used by patients who are conscious about their eyes or feel sensitive about their appearance. Dr Chris Smith, a medical consultant, explains that the artificial eye shell is designed to fit over a damaged eye.
In Katie’s Instagram post, she shared a video that appeared to show her being fitted with the prosthetic eye. She described the experience as the beginning of her journey to have an artificial eye, with a team of medical experts supporting her. She expressed her gratitude towards the NHS and private healthcare system for their kindness and talent. She also expressed her apprehension towards being able to tolerate the prosthetic eye but is hopeful about its success. She invited her followers to share their experiences and advice in the comments.
After the attack in 2008, Katie lost sight in one eye, but doctors at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, West Sussex, managed to restore it. Katie, who is a mother of two, set up her own foundation aimed at helping people to live with burns and scars. She has been an advocate for people with facial disfigurements and has called for society to change to help people feel accepted. In 2009, she made a Channel 4 documentary about her experience called Katie: My Beautiful Face. In recognition of her services to charity and victims of burns and other disfigurement injuries, Katie was awarded an OBE in 2021.