Prosthetic Eyes – Helping You In Hard Times

Prosthetic eyes are like a boon to those who have lost their eye/s to an injury, accident or disease. They are also known as glass eyes or fake eyes. There are two components of prosthetic eyes – the whitish, oval outer shell meant for duplicating the white part of the eye and the central, round portion duplicating iris and pupil. Implanting of prosthetic eyes is called ocular prosthesis and it is recommended after the surgical removal of an eye due to disease or damage.

Reasons to Remove an Eye

• Infection inside the eye
• Eye injury
• Eye tumors
• Glaucoma

Types of Surgery

The surgeries used to remove the damaged eye are also of two types and the type chosen decides the type of prosthetic eye to be implanted.

Evisceration: In this type, the jelly-like inner fluid of the eyeball is pulled out through suction, for which an incision is given to the front part of the eye. But tissues in the outer eye and orbit (eye socket¬¬) are preserved in this method.

Enucleation: In this type, the entire eyeball is cut and removed from the eye socket.

Which among these to be chosen is decided based upon the degree of damage and your eye condition.

Why to Use Prosthetic Eye?

• To improve the appearance
• To prevent the eye socket tissues from growing to fill the empty cavity

What is a Prosthetic Eye Made of?

Earlier the glass eyes were really made of glass. Today’s prosthetic eyes are usually made of hard plastic acrylic. The eye looks like a shell when it is not fitted.

What is Ocular Implant?

Ocular implant is a round-shaped, hard device which is surgically embedded deep in the eye socket permanently. It is usually wrapped either with living tissues or an artificial cushioning substance before placement. The prosthetic eye is fitted over this implant.

What to Expect from a Prosthetic Eye Surgery?

After the damaged natural eye is removed, ocular implant is permanently embedded. Later the removable prosthetic eye is created so as to fit on it.

After healing of the eye removal surgery is complete, an ocularist (prosthetic eye specialist) creates wax impressions of the front portion of the eye socket. A custom prosthetic eye is created by the ocularist to fit on the ocular implant. Iris is painted by hand which should match the healthy natural eye.

A prosthetic eye can move but not as fully or quickly as the other natural eye. Its pupil doesn’t change according to light.

The eye socket may keep changing shape after surgery. You may need additional adjustments for fitting for weeks or even months after the first placement.

Support Groups

Losing an eye is not an easy thing to accept. Though a prosthetic eye can improve appearance, the vision cannot be gained back. In this period, the patient needs mental support, for which there are many support groups and counseling to help patients go through these hard times.

EstheticEyes.com offers prosthetic eye surgery and all the information regarding it. Go through this website to know more about prosthetic eyes. Images here are their courtesy.