Eye prosthesis & Rehabilitation
Prosthetic eyes, or ocular prosthetics, are artificial eyes that replace a natural eye absent due to surgical removal from disease or injury.
Indication
- Status post enucleation
- Status post evisceration
- Congenital anopthalmia/ micropthalmia
- Infection of the eye
- Eye tumors
TYPES OF OCULAR PROSTHETICS
- The Half Sphere/ Stock eye
- The Mold Eye/ Customized prosthesis
The Half Sphere / Stock eye
- Artificial eye is a prefabricated lightweight eye made of Polymethyl- methacrylate, or Acrylic Plastic.
- It is a half globe that is carefully cut, shaped, ground and polished to size.
- It is available in various sizes with varying Iris and Sclera colorings.
- This eye is generally used as the first prosthesis after an eye has been removed; therefore, it is not completely customized to the individual.
- Once the closest match has been determined, the Half Sphere is cut and shaped- during the production of the eye, the Half Sphere can be tried on in intermediate stages in order to make any necessary adjustments.
- Once the fit has been perfected, the eye is polished with a special compound to ensure a smooth surface.
The Mold Eye
- This is considered the ideal artificial eye because it is produced specifically for each patient.
- In order to customize the fit of the Mold Eye, an impression tray is inserted between the person's eyelids and a liquid mixture is injected which sets to a rubbery consistency in 90 seconds.
- This impression is casted into plaster of Paris which creates a mold in which the prosthetist pours a special wax to create a wax model of the artificial eye.
- The model can be carved, smoothed and rounded and tried by the patient to assess shape, curvature and also the appearance of the eyelids.
- Once any alterations have been made, the actual plastic eye is cast and hand painted in front of the patient to ensure matching eyes.
- This artificial eye has more obvious movement than the Half Sphere because it fits the patient's socket exactly, therefore detecting more of the muscle movements seen in the socket.
- Another benefit of the Mold Eye is the typical moisture, or secretions from the socket, which can gather and get trapped behind the Half Sphere, will have less of a build up behind the Mold Eye because it has a closer fit.
- The Mold Eye is the best achievable fit and most natural and lifelike in appearance.
Maintenance of prosthesis-
- Wash hands before handling the prosthesis
- Clean everyday with clean water, dried and to be worn
- Precaution to be taken to reduce scratches
- Eye lubricants can be used to increase the lid movements and closure Polishing must be done once a year.
Rehabilitation
- Patient's vision rehabilitation program may include training in the use of special lighting, optical devices, magnifiers or other useful adaptive aids.
- Training in activities of daily living — individualized, hands-on training in cooking, cleaning, personal finance management and leisure activities such as reading — can also help maximize independence. Physical and occupational therapy
- Orientation and mobility training
- Assistive technology training
- Adjustment to vision loss counselling
- Braille instruction
- Other comprehensive, state-of the- art services, are available in a convenient centre based location, in the community or in the home.
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