My name is Nele and I was born in 1992.
I have had a glass eye on my left side since I was 3 months old.
At that time, I was diagnosed with retinoblastoma and the diseased eye was removed.
So I had the “advantage” of growing up with only one eye, which is perhaps also the reason why my glass eye is one of the most natural things for me.

I can’t remember exactly when I first really consciously thought about my eye.
The aftercare appointments in Essen, which I had to attend regularly as a small child, were turned into family outings and were just part of the routine.
But I know that the glass eye was never really an obstacle for me: I played the recorder, went to athletics for years and played tennis briefly, later swapped the recorder for the clarinet and was able to pursue all the hobbies I wanted.
Music and running are still two of my passions.

Of course, some people notice a slight silver eye and ask me about it.
I can remember moments in primary school when my classmates asked me why I was cross-eyed.
As a child, I would talk openly about my prosthetic eye and then look into astonished faces.
I actually still do it that way.
Most people who know me know about my glass eye.
Of course, it’s not the first thing I tell people when I meet them… But if they ask me about it or the subject comes up by chance, I tell them.

My eye is part of my life.
In fact, I don’t often think about it.
This was also evident at the age of 12, when I thought it would be a good idea to watch a 3D movie at the cinema with my friends.
At that time, the 3D glasses were still equipped with a blue and a red lens, but the disillusionment only came in the movie theater.
I watched the movie to the end anyway, after all I had paid the money… Today, thanks to the new technology, this is no longer a “problem”.

Of course, with puberty came one or two thoughts about my glass eye, I didn’t like my left side profile, I thought the eye was staring so strangely.
But the fact is that all my friends probably found problems with themselves at the same time, regardless of whether their nose was too big or anything else.
As I’ve already mentioned – my life is quite normal.
And that probably includes a bit of a puberty crisis.
But I still think it would probably have helped to talk about it with someone affected and openly share my thoughts.
And I still find it interesting and really nice to discuss things with other sufferers…

I went to grammar school, enjoyed going on music trips, I like going to parties and dancing, meeting my friends and doing sports.
After I graduated from high school, I was an au pair in Ireland, came back and studied psychology in Groningen.
I still have my Master’s ahead of me, so we’ll see where it takes me.
I’m happy the way things are.
A glass eye in itself doesn’t have to make life harder as long as you don’t let it.

Small “hurdles” in everyday life, such as pouring tea into a cup without spilling, are no problem if you have thought of a trick.
I can’t excuse other clumsy experiences with my glass eye, that’s more down to my personality….

Nele
Encourager