{"id":6405,"date":"2024-06-25T17:15:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-25T15:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/bibliotheek\/frederique-bak-youre-looking-at-30-years-of-experience\/"},"modified":"2026-09-10T14:42:51","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T12:42:51","slug":"frederique-bak-youre-looking-at-30-years-of-experience","status":"publish","type":"library_pt","link":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/en\/library\/eye-prosthesis\/frederique-bak-youre-looking-at-30-years-of-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique Bak: \u201cYou\u2019re looking at 30 years of experience\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2024-06-25T17:15:00+02:00\">25 June 2024<\/time><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the waiting room, Cor explains that he started having problems with his right eye 12 years ago. It soon becomes clear that he is dealing with the Acanthamoeba parasite, which is found in tap water. The parasite had lodged behind his contact lens, causing an infection in his cornea. After years of problems with his eye, he decides\u2014partly on the advice of a family member who has an artificial eye himself\u2014to have the affected eye removed. A big step. But the surgery last March was a success. And today he\u2019s taking the next step: getting a nice new artificial eye. Cor explains: \u201cI now have a glass one from the Eye Hospital in Rotterdam. These are typically fitted after the eye removal surgery is complete, but while you\u2019re still under anesthesia. That was really nice, because it meant I could walk down the street pretty soon after the surgery without it really standing out. However, this prosthetic eye is a bit too small, and the color is too dark. I hope Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique can make a larger one so that my eyes look a little more alike again.\u201d       <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Daytime Eye Prosthesis<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once in the exam room, Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique examines the eye socket that underwent surgery. \u201cIt looks really good,\u201d the ocularist agrees. Calmly and with a touch of humor, Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique answers Cor\u2019s questions. For example, he wants to know if she can use his new ocular prosthesis to prevent his eye from drooping slightly when he gets tired. She replies firmly, \u201cI make an eye prosthesis for daytime use, not one for after six.\u201d She then calmly explains that she can\u2019t completely prevent the eye from drooping slightly when it\u2019s tired.       <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique then gets to work with intense concentration. After trying on the base model, she sculpts the final design she wants using red wax. Doesn\u2019t she need to take measurements and try it on first? \u201cYou\u2019re looking at 30 years of experience here,\u201d she says with a laugh. \u201cBy looking closely at his face and eye socket, I can create a model with wax. The next step is determining the color and pattern of the eye.\u201d Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique walks over with a large container of blue prosthetic eyes. She carefully examines various examples and compares them to Cor\u2019s good eye. One is too light and another too dark. And there needs to be a rim around the iris. In the end, she\u2019s selected three color samples. \u201cIt will be a combination of these three,\u201d she explains, describing the selection process. Cor wonders if she might take another photo of his good eye. That\u2019s not necessary; in fact, it would be counterproductive: \u201cThe eye reacts to light, so the color of the eyes changes in the photo. Experience has shown that this manual method provides the best color representation,\u201d she explains. Cor\u2019s first consultation is over. In three weeks, he can pick up his ocular prosthesis. \u201cThen we\u2019ll fit the prosthesis, I\u2019ll grind it to size, and put the finishing touches on it,\u201d Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique concludes.         <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Secret Recipe<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After saying goodbye to Cor and his wife, Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique shows us the laboratory where the prosthetic eyes are made. Carmen, a technical assistant, is working on the plaster molds used to create the prosthetic eyes. The prosthetic eye is then passed on to Rik. He paints the iris and uses thin silk threads to create the blood vessels on the artificial eye. After that, it is polished, and the artificial eye is ready. Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique: \u201cA striking feature of a Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique Bak artificial eye is that the iris has a lot of depth. That\u2019s kind of my secret recipe.\u201d     <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique doesn\u2019t just work in The Hague. She also holds office hours in Zaandam, Utrecht, Leeuwarden, Hattem, and Breda. \u201cThat\u2019s one of our core principles: that we operate nationwide. And the fact that I work closely with the orbital specialist and nurse practitioner at UMC Utrecht allows us to provide that extra bit of care. I have the same great collaboration with the specialists at the Ophthalmic Medical Center in Zaandam. We consult with each other frequently.\u201d In addition, during her consultation hours, Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique always pays close attention to the psychosocial aspects of an ocular prosthesis. \u201cI\u2019m a people person. That\u2019s why I think it\u2019s important for people to be able to share their stories. After all, losing an eye is a traumatic experience, and that deserves attention.\u201d    <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Messing Around with Plaster<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Making artificial eyes is a highly skilled craft. Where do you actually learn that, since there\u2019s no formal training for it? Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique: \u201cI stumbled into it by chance. When I was in my early twenties, I started working as a temp for ocularist Erica Groet. I was hired to make coffee, but when I saw what they were doing there, I told her, \u2018I can mess around with plaster a little, too.\u2019 From that moment on, Erica began training me. I worked for her for twelve years. And I\u2019ve now had my own practice for about 24 years.\u201d Meanwhile, her daughter Floortje (who paints and handles business operations) and son Pepijn (who applies plaster, grinds, and polishes) also work a few days a week at their mother\u2019s practice. Hostess Jamila welcomes visitors and handles inquiries via email and phone. In addition, Jan Bollemeijer is training with Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique to master the craft of ocularistry. \u201cI\u2019ll keep going for a while, but when I eventually stop working, the business will continue.\u201d        <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><br \/><\/em>Watch <a href=\"https:\/\/hetklokhuis.nl\/tv-uitzending\/4926\/kunstoog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this short clip from <\/a>the show \u201cKlokhuis\u201d to see how Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique\u2019s artificial eye production process works.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><br \/><\/em>On <a href=\"https:\/\/kunstogen.nl\/?page_id=1081\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique&#8217;s website<\/a>, she answers frequently asked questions about eye prostheses<a href=\"https:\/\/kunstogen.nl\/?page_id=1081\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">.<\/a><em><br \/><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One Tuesday afternoon, we visit the practice of ocular prosthesis maker Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique Bak in the lively Bomenbuurt neighborhood in The Hague. In the waiting room, we meet Cor and his wife. Today, Cor is being fitted for his first plastic artificial eye. Oog in Oog magazine is allowed to observe his consultation.     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":6406,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_daextauttol_enable_tooltips":""},"library_cat":[121,126],"class_list":["post-6405","library_pt","type-library_pt","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","library_cat-eye-prosthesis","library_cat-healthcare-providers"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/library_pt\/6405","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/library_pt"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/library_pt"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6406"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6405"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"library_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/library_cat?post=6405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}