A man who lost his eye to retinoblastoma as a child has established a following on social media showing off the "cyborg eyes" he makes himself.

Brian Stanley shares what he makes on his Instagram and TikTok accounts, @bsmachinist, where viewers get a chance to see the different designs and colored lights he installs in the prosthetics. One of his most recent videos, which amassed nearly 10 million views on TikTok, shows how he turned his head into a "flashlight" with the help of his prosthetic eye.

"I've worn a fake eye since I was 6, but I've been wearing my titanium prosthetics for over five years, and I began putting lights in them two years ago," he wrote to Newsweek.

According to the Mayo Clinic, retinoblastoma most often affects children, though it may happen to adults on rare occasions.

Treating retinoblastoma depends on the size of the tumor, where it is and whether it spread to other areas besides the eye.

Chemotherapy may help shrink a tumor, which allows other treatments to address the remaining cancer cells.

If the cancer is too large to be treated by other methods, including cryotherapy or radiation therapy, the eye may need to be removed.

Immediately after removing the eyeball, surgeons will place an eye implant in the socket. A patient may be fitted for an artificial eye following their healing process.

In a way, Stanley said going through retinoblastoma inspired him to learn how to make prosthetics.

"After losing my eye, I had a desire for more variety," he said. "I feel that if I'm going to have to live my life without an eye, I should have something unique or incredible to take its place."

His most recent viral video shows a closeup of his prosthetic eye that doubled as a flashlight.

A bright light shone from his eye, and to show just how powerful it was, Stanley turned the light off in the room.

He walked around the dark room but was able to see where he was going thanks to the light provided by his prosthetic eye.

Stanley said the eye was operating at half its maximum power output, but he is continuing to test what is safe to see how he can reach its full power.

"I like to call it my Titanium Skull Lamp," read the text over the video. "It's perfect for reading in the dark as well!"

He explained that the power source and the hardware are contained inside the prosthetic eye.

Stanley has also created a prosthetic eye featuring the face of Jack Skellington, a character from the popular Tim Burton movie The Nightmare Before Christmas, and countless other eyes that light up green, red, yellow and blue.

"My LED prosthetics do not affect my other eye in any way, nor do they get hot," Stanley said. "The light is being projected strictly forward from my face, with my now and browline completely shielding my eye."

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He added that in a lit room, he can't tell the light is on unless he puts his hand in front of it or if he looks at himself in the mirror.

Stanley said that while some people find his work "shocking," safety is his priority throughout these projects.

He said it is difficult to determine just how long it took for him to learn how to make these prosthetic eyes, but he used the prior skills he picked up as a prototype machinist with an engineering background to create his first titanium eyes.

"I've made myself quite a few prosthetics," he said. "Most of them are titanium. I have a total of 13 LED prosthetics, between two different design variations and at least another 14 regular titanium prosthetics that I can apply various colors, designs and emblems onto."

For now, these prosthetic eyes are just for Stanley, but he said he is hopeful that he can offer his work to others. That all depends on further development and investment.

He also has no plans to slow down on his designs just yet.

"All the iris designs I make for myself have turned into a fun hobby that I enjoy showing others," he said. "The current one I'm most excited to complete has multiple pupils to emit light from."

Viewers have been blown away by the designs Stanley shared on social media.

"My godson also lost his eye to cancer when he was five," a viewer wrote. "I love seeing this innovative option that he has for his future."

"This is the most awesome thing I've ever seen," another TikTok user wrote. "This is ART."

The positive feedback he's received from viewers is welcomed.

"I've been pleasantly surprised at just how many people have enjoyed seeing my work and progression through my content," Stanley said.

Other videos shared online have shown prosthetics, including a series of clips in which a woman revealed her journey with an ear prosthetic.

One Reddit post showed a couple dancing together to improve a man's skills with his prosthetics. Another video showed the sweet moment when a penguin received a pair of prosthetic boots to help him walk.

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