Why is it so complicated to find the right eyes to replace for your doll?  If you've ever decided to do an eye swap on your doll and start the process of trying to find the right size - you will know this can be an expensive and frustrating process.  Why? There are more factors at play than just finding the right size so let me go through a few.

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Size - There are two things you need to know when trying to figure out the size of eye your doll needs.  The first is the measurement of the entire eye - the length of the eye in MM.  The second is the length of the eye's iris (the colored portion of the eye in MM.  If the seller or manufacturer you wish to buy from does not disclose both these measurements, INQUIRE!!!! This will end up saving you money in the end for eyes that will not work. This will also ensure that you have the correct proportion when it comes to buying a new eye. If the full length of the eye is too big, it may not fit in the socket or hole that you have available on your doll and if the iris is too big or too small your doll could start to look dark or freaky.  It's also important to know that doll's have a recommended size range because some dolls have a wide eye socket or a partially closed eye socket (narrow eye socket).  If your doll has a wide eye socket you are able to get away with a larger iris and eyes that are very detailed.  If your doll has a narrow eye socket, you need to lean towards smaller irises and irises with less detail.  This is because as less of the eye is exposed in the socket, the detailing becomes lost and excessive details in a small space just ends up looking muddled and dark in a photo.  Up close it might be ok, but not as good from a distance.

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Color - It is exciting to pick colors for sure but there are factors you should consider before you open your wallet.  The first is whether you plan on just playing with your doll or actively taking photographs of your doll.  Does this make a difference?  Yes it does.  If your doll is just for play, it really doesn't matter what color your choose.  If you are using your doll for photography or art you are going want to select light colored eyes such as light blues, light, greens, light violets and so forth.  Brown eyes, dark blues, or generally dark colors are really hard to picture in their actual color and often appear all black in a photograph.  An all dark look inside of your doll's eye sockets make it look like there's no eyes at all and make it look super creepy.  It's also important to know that the smaller your doll is the less detail you want in an eye.  Extremely tiny spaces don't show off gorgeously detailed and realistic eyes.  As they get smaller you want less detail in that tiny space so that the eye color reads clearly for the doll.  Basic thin lines or no lines at all will work much better and appear less dark and muddled.  Likewise, the bigger the eye, the more detail you want.  Nothing is worse than having a big wide eye and no detail.  It turns into something that looks like the doll is hypnotized.  Large blinking eyes are notorious to have eyes with big bright color and no detailing and a pupil dot in the center and it ends up looking like "stare eyes" because they just look unnatural.

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Shape - There are a few different types when selecting eyes:

1. Blinking Eyes - these eyes open and close.  They will be round and the lashes will be attached to the blinking lid.

2. Stationary Eyes - These are a flat back eye that does not blink.  They are sold in resin, glass, and acrylic and will be offered in round or oval.  Certain dolls require certain shapes of eyes because of the kind of socket or eye placement.  Sometimes you can manipulate the shape that goes there by going down a size in MM so that an oval eye can fit in a round eye socket but it's not always advisable to do this because you may lose some height and therefore have empty space either above the eye or in the corners.  Sometimes that means they eye may not be secured enough in the socket and may fall out through the front, but it just depends.

3. Stationary Eyes - Half Dome.  These are often found in acrylic and will be a half sphere shaped eye that is basically a dome when placed on a flat surface.

4. Stationary Eyes - Globe.  These are found in both glass and acrylic in various sizes.  They are a full sphere shape and often have a tail or nub on the back to help with positioning and turning the eye.

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Proportion - This is covered a bit in size, but I am a firm believer that the internet and even the manufacturer's design recommendations aren't always right about the best eye for your doll.  That may seem crazy to say out loud, but I have found that going down a size or up dramatically changes the doll's look and proportion of the eye.  I have found that the recommended size often leaves very little white of the eye showing through the socket.  Well that's great if you are looking for scary, fantasy, or alien, but if your aim is to make your doll a mini-human that proportion of white on either side is essential.  A larger proportion of white and a smaller iris will make your doll look more human and more in line.

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Availability - And this is what makes eye buying so hard.  Because if you've gone through all of the above and finally have the specifications you are looking for, you now have to find someone that sells exactly that and hopefully has some cool colors to choose from.  This begs the question of why we don't stock more types of eyes.  The long answer is that because finding the right supplier and the right size specifications for the dolls we cater to is such a lengthy process.  We haven't found the right supplier, the right specifications, and look that we want and until we find that and offer a quality product we won't offer it.  When we do find it, be assured that you will see it in our store.  For now, like you we navigate the world of existing eye sellers.