Ocular Prostheses

An ocular prosthesis is medically necessary for those who have had their eye surgically removed, or were born having congenital anophthalmia.

An eye may require enucleation surgery due to cancer or systemic disorders, trauma or infection. An enucleation surgery removes the entire eyeball, and normally an orbital implant is placed by the surgeon to partially reestablish orbital volume and allow movement by attaching the fine muscles.

Following adequate healing, a custom ocular prosthesis restores the volume of the orbit, supports the eyelids, allows for proper drainage of tears and secretion, and helps maintain orbital health.

The ocular prosthesis is fabricated from an alginate impression of the eye socket to capture unique socket contours, and is handpainted to provide a realistic simulation of the remaining eye.

Additionally, an eye requiring evisceration surgery (replacement of the eye's contents with an orbital implant, but leaving the muscle connections in place) may be fit with a custom ocular prosthesis, pending the amount of movement, available space, and sensitivity of the globe (see below)*.

Scleral Cover Shell Prostheses

A scleral cover shell prosthesis is medically necessary for those having a blind, disfigured eye or phthisical globe. A person may have a blind eye from birth, have progressive vision loss, retinal detachment, ischemia resulting from systemic disorder, or trauma.

The scleral shell prosthesis provides adequate volume and proper lid positon while also protecting the blind eye from environmental irritants (wind, dust, etc.). This type of prosthesis can also benefit those having minimal vision with light sensitivity.

A scleral shell prosthesis is fabricated from a clear custom conformer which is used as a fitting model (see below). Similar to the custom ocular prosthesis, the scleral shell prosthesis is handpainted to match the remaining eye.

Light perception in a child's microphthalmic eye can be accomodated with fabricating a clear pupil in the prosthesis.

*Following evisceration surgery, the remaining globe may have excellent movement, provide considerable volume, or retain surface sensitivity. In these cases, the option to fit a scleral cover shell prosthesis from a trial conformer is in the best interest of the patient.

Custom Conformers

Trial conformers are used to build tolerance to a shape over a sensitive blind eye. The trial conformer is made of a clear acrylic and custom fit from an alginate impression.

Custom post-op conformers aid in healing following enucleation or evisceration surgeries.

Pediatric expansion conformers for the littlest clients having microphthalmia or congenital anophthalmia are fit in a series of progressively larger custom shapes to stimulate growth of the bony orbit and aid in facial symmetry. Upon achieving near-matching volume and lid symmetry, the custom prosthesis is fabricated typically after months of treatment to a year pending each case.

For clients preferring to wear a patch over their affected eye and do not desire a full prosthesis matching the fellow eye, a custom conformer provides support to the eyelids and helps maintain orbital health.

Novelty designs

With respect to your personal autonomy, special consideration is given for socket conditions which render a lack of movement or eyelid assymetry. Please see our FAQs.