Enucleation



Enucleation is the medical term used to refer to the surgical removal of the eyes.

Definition
There are several variations of this procedure. Though the main one refers to either the complete removal of the visual organs while keeping the eyelids and surrounding tissue intact, or by only removing them in such a way that the orbital contents are still intact. Enucleation is typically used on patients with ocular tumors, damaged, or otherwise painful and useless eyes. The name of the procedure is of Greek origins, dating back to it's mythology, as a reference to Oedipus, who gouged out his own eyes in a rare form of self-harm called Self-Enucleation.

On Criminal Minds
On Criminal Minds, the term is used to refer to a criminal (usually a serial killer) who removes or mutilates the eyes of their victims. A criminal who does this is referred to as an Enucleator.

Enucleators on Criminal Minds
Enucleators featured on the show.
 * Season Five
 * Earl Bulford ("The Eyes Have It") - A serial-turned-spree killer who surgically enucleated his victims post-mortem.
 * Ronald Boyd ("A Rite of Passage") - A prolific serial-turned-spree killer, cop killer, copycat, and one-time mass murderer who enucleated Sheriff Eva Ruiz.
 * Season Seven
 * Ben Bradstone ("Proof") - A "wound collector"-type ephebophilic serial killer, rapist, stalker, and abductor who stabbed the eyes of two of his victims and later dissolved the eyes of another with sulfuric acid.
 * Season Eleven
 * Michael Lee Peterson ("Tribute") - A pedophilic (once) serial-turned-spree killer, copycat, budding serial rapist, thrill killer, one-time school shooter, and one-time cop killer who enucleated one victim while copying Andrei Chikatilo.

Real-World
Real-world enucleators
 * Albert Fish
 * Richard Ramirez
 * Richard Chase
 * Andrei Chikatilo
 * The Eyeball Killer
 * Dorángel Vargas
 * The Dnepropetrovsk Maniacs