Madison Shuford has lived her entire life with a unique perspective. She was born completely blind in her left eye without any known trauma or medical explanation. Now 25 years old, she recently decided it was time for a new prosthetic eye, having worn the same one since middle school. Her previous prosthesis was made by Emma Boyd’s father. For her new eye, she decided to visit Emma’s clinic in Greensboro, North Carolina, a full-circle moment.
Time for an Update
Emma Boyd’s father.
Madison with Emma’s father.
For Madison, the need for a new prosthetic was primarily cosmetic to fill in the eye socket and enhance symmetry. Over time, as her face grew and changed, the old prosthesis no longer fit well. “It was starting to become uncomfortable,” Madison explained. “The white of my eye had changed, and the shape of my face shifted enough that it was sitting off to the left. It became noticeable that I had a prosthetic, but now, you can barely tell at all.”
An Easy Process
Despite needing a new prosthesis every five years, Madison had put off the process during her college years, busy with her studies at Gardner-Webb University for undergrad and now at High Point University for pharmacy school. However, with growing discomfort, she decided it was time for an update.
The entire process took just one day, something Madison finds remarkable. The morning started with the removal of her old prosthesis, followed by making a mold of her eye socket. Madison admitted, “That’s the most uncomfortable part for me, but the rest is a breeze.” The molding process involves injecting a material into the socket to capture its unique shape, which serves as the base for the new prosthesis.
Once the mold was created, the next step was fitting a wax model to ensure it matched the socket perfectly. Madison’s family, including her mom, little sister, and best friend, were all present to support her. “My mom has been with me to every appointment and wasn’t going to miss this one,” she shared. The fitting process involved a lot of standing, sitting, and adjusting to get the shape just right. Madison’s 12-year-old sister described the unpainted model as looking like something out of Coraline—a whimsical comparison that brought some lightness to the day.
The final step was the painting process, a fascinating transformation in which Madison got to watch Emma hand-paint the prosthesis to match her unique eye color. “I have a very complex eye color,” Madison noted. Sometimes, it’s blue, sometimes green. It was amazing to watch her create a piece of art that I get to wear.” After they were both satisfied with the match, Emma finished the prosthesis with a water bath to cure it.
The new prosthesis has been a game-changer for Madison. Not only does it fit better, reducing discomfort, but it also looks incredibly natural. “It felt weird at first because I was so used to the old one, but now I’m less aware of it because it fits so well,” she said. The prosthetic eye requires minimal maintenance, just occasional cleaning with mild soap and water, and it’s best to keep it moist.
Time for an Update
Reflecting on her experience, Madison shared that her prosthetic eye has never been a big deal for her personally, though it perplexed her mother. Growing up, she was eager to tell everyone about it, but her parents advised caution to protect her from potential teasing. As an adult, Madison has embraced her differences. She even made a TikTok video about it, revealing her prosthetic to friends who never knew. “It was a big deal to put that out there,” she said. “But now, I’m happy to show people. I get to walk around with a literal work of art. I don’t love having one eye, but it doesn’t bother me.”
As Madison continues her journey through pharmacy school, she carries with her a new level of confidence, ready to face whatever comes next—armed with a beautiful, custom-made eye that is as much a piece of art as it is a part of her.
