Thirty years ago this week the optical sector was excited by the arrival of a new type of patient to help train students.
At first glance, the Optician issue of July 25 1975 appears to have invited Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson as guest editor. The head in the centre of the frame staring directly into the lens is particularly creepy.
Taking a closer look, it emerges that the face at the tip of the pyramid is actually ophthalmic dispensing instructor Freeda Storm, standing proudly over her collection of optical figurines.
The prosopic models are billed as a new concept in frame fitting. Students in Houston were gaining more practical experience in dispensing by finding the right frames for each of the plaster of Paris characters.
The 15 models eerily resemble real patients, presenting a unique set of facial features for the students to complement with the right frames.
Storm made the models in her own kitchen, using masks moulded from individuals in the local area to replicate unique facial contours, before adding her own finishing touches. At the time, the University of Houston was the only institution to use the prosopic models and it remains unclear whether the idea was rolled out by other departments or later consigned to a museum.
But while new technology and dispensing apps have revolutionised modern day practice, there is no substitute for hands-on experience.