Prosthetic Eyes
The most common treatment option for someone who has lost an eye is Prosthetic eyes. People of all ages are fitted with prosthetic eyes after they have an eye or both eyes removed due to any traumatic eye injury or any kind of eye or facial deformity.
Prosthetic Eyes are often referred to as glass eyes, but the ocular prosthesis is made of medical grade plastic acrylic and almost looks like a convex shell. Cryolite glass is used to make ocular prostheses. Ocularists are those who make ocular prosthetics.
Vision is not provided by an ocular prosthesis; this would be possible through a visual prosthesis. A person fitted with an ocular prosthesis is completely blind on the affected side and has a one sided vision.
The price ranges approximately from Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 and above for a single prosthetic eye in India.
Common questions asked by patients:
Are prosthetic eyes uncomfortable?There being risk of infection during surgery. However, infections are uncommon and can be easily treated using antibiotic drops or oral antibiotics. Initial wearing may cause temporary discomfort or tightness in your eye. But as time passes, the patient gets used to the prosthesis.
How often does a prosthetic eye need replacement?
The materials of a prosthetic eye made at Ocular Prosthetics, generally last for at least ten years. Though, in most cases a replacement is needed in around 3-5 years due to soft tissue deposit in the eye socket.
To clean the discharge on the eyelids or eyelashes, use gauze or tissue soaked in cooled boiled water. For cleaning the artificial eye, use of warm water and a mild, non-perfumed soap is advised. In order to avoid dropping the prosthetic eye, rub the eye very gently, refrain from scratching.
PROS
- Accurate resemblance of a custom-made prosthetic eye with the companion eye can make it difficult for others to tell it’s artificial.
- An experienced ocularist can make the ocular prosthesis such that the eyelid sits in a normal, symmetrical position.
CONS
- Adjustment to the artificial eye may take some time. Due to scratches on the surface, a prosthetic eye can become uncomfortable and can thus lead to irritation on the underside of the eyelids while blinking. Occasional polishing is needed, to prevent potential problems.
- People with an artificial eye sometimes require additional surgery because the soft tissue of the eyelids and sockets can change over several years.
- To safeguard the remaining eye, your doctor is likely to recommend that you wear protective glasses at all times after surgery.
