Greg Dootz
Two enormous bulletin boards take up much of the wall space in his tiny office and laboratory. Each is filled with the photos of hundreds of children, some just a few months old. Many of these children were born with sightless eyes; others lost their vision to disease or injury. But you wouldn't know it by looking at their smiling faces.
Thanks to Greg Dootz, an ocularist at the University of Michigan's Kellogg Eye Center, more than 3,000 people have received prosthetic eyes that are every bit as beautiful as the real thing. Each Dootz-crafted prosthetic is a hand-painted, nearly exact replica of the patient's eye. Startlingly realistic, not only in the color and intricacy of the iris, but also in the coloration of the white, he goes so far as to add tiny blood vessels formed from fine strands of thread.
A self-confessed perfectionist with artistic talent, an engineering bent, an engaging bedside manner and fellowship training in ocular prosthetics, Greg Dootz is perfectly suited to his unique field. While he quickly inspires confidence in his adult patients, every facet of his skill, experience and training is needed to serve his tiniest patients and their families.
Each year, one in 100,000 children are born with microphthalmus, a condition in which the eye is extremely small and has little or no vision. Beginning soon after birth, Dootz uses "expansion therapy" to slowly stretch the child's socket and lid until a full-sized prosthetic can be accommodated. By fitting the prosthetic over the defective eye and its muscles, lifelike movement can be retained. The artificial eye encourages proper bone development and a more natural facial appearance as the child grows.
Dootz isn't one to boast about his talent, but he is quick to laud his patients' accomplishments, whether it is an elementary school honor, a football trophy, a graduation or a wedding. "We don't always get to see the end result in medicine, but I am fortunate to have the privilege not only of making a difference in someone's life but also of seeing where that life takes them."
Greg Dootz works in the Eye Plastic, Orbital and Facial Cosmetic Surgery Service at the University of Michigan's Kellogg Eye Center.
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