CUSTOM MADE ARTIFICIAL EYES

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Advantages of Custom ocular prosthesis over Stock eyes:

Custom ocular prosthesis	Stock eye
·   Best  cosmesis with good eye movements ·   Longer wearing period ·   Long lasting(5-8 years) ·   Modifications possible ·   Maintains shape of the cavity	·   Poor cosmesis, ill-fitting ·   Less wearing time due to allergic reaction ·   Develops cracks, needs frequent replacement. ·   Damages lid & socket anatomy

Life like artificial eyes

  

Losing an eye is a disaster and the person loses all self confidence and belief in one self.

I have known a child who stopped talking when her eye was lost following a glass bulb burst. Once I made an artificial eye and fitted it on her, she started to talk and became her cheerful self. There was one more child who refused to go out and meet anyone as he had lost an eye. It is important in these children to give  them an artificial eye to make them look good and help them regain their self confidence.

Modern techniques of making artificial eyes are so good that it becomes difficult to differentiate the normal eye from the artificial eye. I have many times gone very close to the face of the person to identify which is the artificial eye. Custom made artificial eyes in which no surgery is needed are the best method of rehabilitating a person who has lost an eye. 

Making on an average about 10 eyes in a month, I have gained immense satisfaction from seeing the smile on my patient's faces and knowing they are satisfied with my work...

 

Protective eye glasses

I have seen many patients come with severe injuries due to damage to the eyes at the work place or in road accidents. It is quite sad that there is a careless attitude from the point of view of the workers who do not want to wear protective glasses. 

The unfortunate thing is the patients usually lose the eye and I am forced to contemplate an artificial eye for them. I agree the artificial eye is a good cosmetic solution, but there should be strict rules at the work place and more discipline on the part of industrial workers who should wear protective glasses.

These are made of CR 39 or Polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is of course superior. 
They should cover the eyes completely leaving no gaps at the edges. 

Again while driving on the road, eyewear made of CR or polycarbonate should be worn. Even small foreign bodies can get into the eyes and create problems. Indeed I have removed many of them .

Integrating Ayurveda and Allopathy

I had a unique opportunity yesterday. I gave a lecture at the national conference of shalakya, that is the branch of ayurveda dealing with the eyes, ENT and dentistry. My lecture was an overview of oculoplasty and ocular oncology.

It is interesting to see the way both these forms are medicine are taught to students there and they are able to use both the practices to treat patients. There are many forms of treatment which are unique to ayurveda which are missing in allopathy. It was wonderful listening to some of the lectures..

custom made ocular prosthesis

Fabrication of customized ocular prosthesis:

The technique of fabrication of a custom ocular prosthesis takes 1-2 days. It involves obtaining the impression from the patient’s socket and replication into a wax prototype. The wax prototype is tried in the patient’s eye to obtain an optimal fit and positioning. The patient’s iris is painted with reference to the normal eye; this is then processed in a special non-toxic PMMA polymer. The patient’s eye colour is matched using appropriate colour matching techniques for a true life like appearance. The final prosthesis would be a polished, life-like eye with a comfortable fit which is then dispensed to the patient. This snugly fits in the socket and gives good real time motility and normal appearance to the patient.

In the present age where technology is advancing in leaps and bounds, it is important that one is aware of the newer options for visual rehabilitation. Appearance and self esteem are important for a person in all spheres of life. With newer innovations in artificial eye making, there is hope for many in this world.

Custom made ocular prosthesis

 Ocular prosthesis

In some cases fitting of a Customized ocular prosthesis isn’t the first step towards rehabilitation. It’s preceded by surgery such as in cases of intraocular malignancies or in cases of painful blind eyes.

The surgery involves removal of the contents of the eyeball and replacing it by an appropriate implant or a graft to restore the lost volume for optimal outcome. The healing process takes about 6-8 weeks following which the customized ocular prosthesis is fit.

In patients with injuries, socket reconstruction may also be necessary prior to fitting of customized ocular prosthesis

For a small subset of patients who have underdeveloped eye from birth, socket expansion with help of customized prosthesis in addition to surgery may be necessary.

custom made ocular prosthesis

An Ocularist is an expert who designs the ocular prosthesis which is custom-made for a given individual in such a way that it matches the living eye in every possible aspect and also is cosmetically acceptable and comfortable to the patient.

There are two types of artificial eye:

1.     Custom-made ocular prosthesis 

2.     Stock eye (ready-made artificial eye)

 Custom-made Ocular prosthesis is a non-optical device* which is designed individually to improve the cosmesis of the individual with disfigured eye. Wearing an ocular prosthesis is particularly important in children as the customized prosthesis helps in proper development of the orbit.

( Non-optical device: A device which has no refractory optics and hence doesn’t help in improving vision whatsoever)

Custom-made Ocular prosthesis	Stock eye
Advantages
·        Best  cosmesis with good eye movements ·        Longer wearing period ·        Long lasting(5-7 years) ·        Modifications possible ·        Maintains shape of the cavity	·        Inexpensive and readily available ·        Less time consuming
Disadvantages
·        Time consuming	·        Poor cosmesis, ill-fitting ·        Less wearing time with discomfort due to frequent allergies. ·        Develops cracks, needs frequent replacement (every 6  months to 1 year)