In 2013, Xia Tong lost an eye in a serious car accident. She was only 18 at the time and had had a prosthetic eye fitted. Instead of losing confidence and avoiding people because of her looks, the girl decided to change the situation in order to stand out.
After training as an ocular prosthetic specialist (ocularist), Xia Tong started making all kinds of unique prostheses for herself, which she showed off on social media, gradually gaining a loyal following.
Xia Tong is good at making classic artificial eyes that are nearly indistinguishable from real ones, but she’s best known for her “bionic eyes” that glow in different colors and even blink when a button is pressed.
Short videos of her trying on some of these unusual prostheses have gone viral in China, and recently Xia Tong’s prosthetic eyes have also drawn media attention.
The 28-year-old told Beijing News that she started making prosthetic eyes to help people like her overcome doubt. She met many people who were isolated or lost their confidence after losing an eye, which inspired her to become an ophthalmologist.
Some people need realistic prostheses, but others, like Xia Tong, would like to make a unique eye prosthesis with small LEDs. A person becomes like an android or a terminator robot, and that’s pretty cool.
Xia Tong’s story has won great fame in China. Most people praise her for her courage and ability to turn a traumatic, life-changing event into something positive.
